Taken By Surprise
by Richess
Summary: Set after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up north & unbeknownst to him begins to fulfil a prophecy. S/B Fic eventually. Authors Notes are important. *WIP*.
1. Chapter 1

** TAKEN BY SURPRISE**

** Author: ** Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards

** Feedback:**Do vampire's have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com

** Summary: ** Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. 

** Warning:** This a Spike and baby story just to warn all. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship so bear with me.

** Things that must be known:** For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story. 

** Song:** Little Girl's Eyes by Lenny Kravitz (album: '5')

** Disclaimer:**I own none of BTVS characters, they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Ni'ya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus

** Distribution: **THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, Dancing With Death, and Fanfiction.net. If you have pervious permission to take any of my fics that is fine ** but** Taken By Surprise is strictly for the sites listed above. No other site has my permission to post this fic.

** Author's Notes:** As for any medical stuff I know nothing and I did no research. Well that's not true the condition in this story does exist for some women, I saw it on The Learning Channel. So there I did do research. 

I started this fic in December 2000 and I have had most of it done but a co-writer offered me suggestions on making this a better fic and I took her advice and this fic has become a near novel. Well I started getting it betad in November 2001 and then all of my exams, papers and real life in general stalled this fic again. Then the whopper came when I saw ATS, episode DAD and I nearly freaked at some of the similarities between my fic and that eppy. I was going to scrap this fic even though it was over a 100 pages and near done. I didn't want people to think that I took the idea from Angel when technically I had it written down and floating around the net since April 2001. So now I present to all that will read my baby (the fic that is for all to see).

** Dedication: ** To Hilary who forced me to finish this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. To Miss Binks who helped me work out the kinks. Hehehe that rhymes. To Edith and Esme for betaing this chapter for me.

______________________________________________________________________________

** CHAPTER 1**

Part 1

The abandoned warehouse that he called home was pretty destitute. Spike didn't bother fixing up the place because he didn't plan on staying long in Vancouver. After he went back and tortured Dru she still thought he was soft. Helping the slayer was the straw that broke the metaphorical camel's back. Spike shook his head as her words filled his mind.

_ "Your lies. Your deceit. I can't trust you anymore, Spike. You're nothing but ashes to me. Spike is gone and a new demon has taken over his body. A demon that loves the slayer."_

"Dru, I don't love her. I love you! I did it for you. For us. Angelus was about to get beaten and I couldn't risk you getting hurt," he pleaded.

"You're pathetic to think I'd believe that. I might not have all the cards in the deck, but I'm not stupid. Miss Edith and the King of Cups told me. They whispered it to me. They said you'd lie and you would help the slayer. I told them they were wrong. But they were right. They're always right. I feel nothing for you. You're dust to me. You . . . no longer exist. Don't exist." Drusilla turned away from him and took the hand of the chaos demon and left.

"You're a stupid fool." Spike pounded his hand into the wall.

"Oh don't do that," a soft voice commanded. Spike stopped, not turning around.

"I thought that the rumours were false. Spike without Dru. How could that be possible?" 

Spike spun around to see the owner of the voice, then whispered her name, "L'nor?" 

"So, where ** is** Dru?" She smiled, seductively tossing her waist length brown hair to the side. She stepped closer to Spike and then closer still until they were nose to nose.

"Gone," he said calmly as he looked into her brown eyes. "Where's Jacob?"

Dru had always been jealous of L'nor, and Spike didn't know why. Well actually, he did; with L'nor and him, there had always been a sexual attraction.

"He's still around, he's the Master of Vancouver." She snaked her arms around his neck, drawing them closer together. "I can't stay long, but Jacob would like to see you. He probably thinks you're here to challenge him Are you?"

"Nope. I don't want to run the underground of Vancouver, or any other place for that matter. I like being free and moving." 

"Good," she replied, giving him a searing kiss. All of his anger at Dru dissipated at that moment. L'nor kissed him hard and deeply, with such fury and passion that was animalistic. 

She pulled away from him, putting her fingers to her lips, then turned and walked away. "I'll send a minion to pick you up tomorrow, at eight. Goodbye Spike."

"Bye L'nor."

* * *

"So why is he here, L'nor?" Jacob asked her. "Is he here to challenge me?"

"No." L'nor looked at the petite red head on his arm. "New childe, Jacob?"

"Yes." He grabbed the fledgling's hair, pulled her head back, and kissed her roughly. L'nor gritted her teeth and turned to leave.

The fledging giggled as Jacob let go of her. "L'nor?"

"Yes." She turned back around.

"We're leaving for a day or two." The fledgling looked up at her sire, who held her close to his side.

"We? So I take it that means you and little bitch are going to have a little rendezvous in the mountains and I'm to hold down the fort. Right?"

"Well yeah." The fledgling giggled again as Jacob pushed her away towards the door. She tried to pass L'nor. 

She grabbed the childe's arm and whispered, "He won't protect you for long. And he can't protect you from me."

The fledgling trembled in her grasp. 

L'nor let her go and then turned back to Jacob. "Anything else?"

"I love it when you're jealous, it makes the sex better when I come back."

L'nor smiled at Jacob. "I think you're right, it does make the sex better!" She laughed as she finished the sentence, and headed out the door.

* * * 

Part 2

"Shoot it's almost nine. I gotta go to work." The girl grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

Walking to work was never a problem, Christina only lived a couple of blocks away from her job, but walking at night in Vancouver these days was not too safe. The police called it 'gang warfare' but she knew that it was a war of a different kind. The kind that other people wouldn't understand. The kind people would believe to be only in a bad sci-fi movie.

* * * 

L'nor and Spike always had a secret attraction to each other, but neither acted on it. She had always feared Dru. Plus Spike would never cheat on Dru, so now with Dru gone and Spike free, L'nor saw no reason not to give into their desires. She didn't care about Jacob anymore, he had betrayed her on more than one occasion. _ 'So, do unto others,'_ she told herself. 

Lying naked in the arms of the man that she had wanted for over seventy years was good enough. Jacob would die again when she told him; when she implanted the images of all the things that she and Spike had done together in his bed, in his lair. 

L'nor smiled. _ "Spike, if Jacob ever finds out about us, he'll try to stake you."_

"L'nor, you worry too much. How is he going to find out?" Spike asked as he stroked her silky straight brown hair.

* * *

Spike thought about her words that night.

"She's planning on telling him. She told Jacob. Bloody hell. I can't stay here anymore. This is his goddamn town." Spike called over the bartender wanting one last drink for the road.

Spike thought about her words that night. _ 'She's planning on telling him. She told Jacob. Bloody hell! I can't stay here anymore this is his goddamn town!' _

Spike called over the bartender wanting one last drink for the road.

"What would you . . ." Her voice trailed off as she observed at two figures entering the club, she recognized them instantly. "You have to leave, they're here." She whispered to Spike

Spike looked at her like she was crazy. His eyes followed her gazing as he turned to see what she was looking at.

Two vampires that Spike recognized stood at the other side of the club. Spike turned back quickly to the bartender. She bent down behind the bar and handed Spike a stake. He looked at her quizzically.

"They are going to kill you if you don't leave Don't ask how I know, I just do." The beautiful girl with jet black hair and crystal green eyes looked at him desperately. "Leave, now."

A tug on his instinct said that she was telling the truth and knew more than she was telling. Spike got up abruptly and headed out the front door of the club, expecting trouble.

* * *

Spike had walked three blocks before he could sense the vampires that surrounded him. Eight in total. 

"Spike," a voice growled. Spike turned to see Jacob standing a few feet away from him. "Vancouver is my TOWN and L'nor is my WOMAN."

"She wasn't last night," Spike quipped, knowing that the comment could kill him. Jacob stood tall at 6'5 and weighed about 280 pounds, he was well built and an excellent fighter from what Spike had seen, plus, he was a couple of years older than Spike.

"Touché. I really should have said that L'nor WAS my woman. A little beheading took care of that treacherous bitch, but only after a couple of hours of torture." 

"So what are _ you_ going to do to me?" Spike asked cockily.

"You'll see." Jacob said as he launched himself at Spike. 

Spike tried to side step the larger vampire, but one of the minions pushed him to the ground, and before he could regain his senses, Jacob's heavy boot stomped into his back. The cracking of his ribs seemed loud to him. He turned swiftly, ignoring the pain that shot through his body, to see another blow coming at him. Spike grabbed Jacob's leg and twisted the ankle to an awkward angle, the snapping of the bone echoing through the alley. Jacob fell backwards but was caught by one of his minions. 

The vampire that had pushed Spike loomed over him, then hauled the peroxide vampire off the ground, grabbed his neck holding him in the air so that his feet were about a foot off the ground. Spike kicked the vampire hard in the shin and the vampire dropped him. And then poof! The vampire in front of Spike disappeared into a pile of dust. The other vampires turned to see a small female figure standing in the shadows, with a cross bow.

"Slayer?" Spike asked, as three of the vampires ran towards her.

The girl let another arrow shoot out of the cross bow and it hit the vampire closest to her, but not in the heart. Spike got up and faced off against two of Jacob's minions. The first one tried to knock down Spike as he got up, but Spike avoided him and brought his knee to the vampire's chest. The vampire crumpled to the ground as the next one attacked Spike. He quickly pulled out the stake and rammed the pointed edge into the vampire running towards him, then turned to see the girl being backhanded and flying through the air into a pile of garbage. She landed with a hard thud as three vampires descended on her.

She grabbed a stake out of her pocket and stuck it through the heart of the first vampire to come close enough to her. The two vampires looked at each other and then at the girl. She quickly scooted up and ran down the alley towards Spike. 

Spike turned around, backhanded the vampire as it lifted itself off the ground, and staked it. He whirled around in the other direction to see that Jacob and the other vampire had gone. The squeal of tires could be heard leaving the street. 

"Argghh." 

A vampire tripped the girl, and she fell just a few feet away from Spike. He could see her ravenous black hair and realized that it was the girl from the club. Spike kicked the vampire off her, which caused him immense pain. The second vampire launched himself at Spike, who had no time to avoid the ball of fury that was headed towards him. Spike dropped the stake in his hand from the impact of the blow. The girl got off the floor and searched for her lost stake. The vampire grabbed her head and flashed his razor sharp teeth. The blood curdling scream that left her throat made the vampire smile as he lowered his head to her neck.

Spike and the vampire wrestled on the ground. Spike didn't even know what happened until he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see his stake imbedded in his chest a couple of inches away from his heart.

The girl grabbed at her coat pocket as the vampire's teeth came closer to her neck. She felt for the black device in her pocket and flicked on the switch. The buzzing noise hummed softly. The vampire was inches from her neck, when she whipped out the device and stuck it into the vampire's ribs. He jerked violently and grunted in pain as the electricity shot through his body. She had made sure to put the measure on full voltage. Although they were illegal in Canada she knew that it was one of the things that could incapacitate a vampire. The vampire fell on top of her with a thud, his weight almost crushing, and she struggled to push him off her.

The buzzing and crackling of electricity momentarily distracted the vampire on top of Spike. He turned to see his partner, on the floor, motionless, and the girl trying to get out from underneath him. Spike took the opportunity and grabbed the stake out of his chest. He nearly bit his tongue off trying not to scream from the pain. By the time the vampire turned back his attention to Spike it was too late. He felt the stake pierce its heart, and the vampire imploded into a pile of ash.

When she finally got the vampire off her and ran towards Spike, he was surrounded by a pool of his own blood. She definitely didn't have enough strength to carry him back to her car.

"Hey!" She turned to hear a voice and the sound of foot steps approaching. Three guys were running towards her. They passed the unconscious vampire and went directly to her and Spike. 

"We heard screamin' and . . . Holy shit!" One of the men exclaimed looking at Spike.

"Christine?" Another guy said, walking out of the shadows. The tall dark haired man stepped out from behind his friends.

"Marcus? You've got to help me." Christine pleaded as she placed her jacket underneath Spike's head, "I need to get him to my car and I'll take him to the hospital."

"Maybe we should wait for the ambulance?" He suggested as one of his friends pulled out a cell phone.

"There's no time. Please Marcus. He saved my life tonight, and he's losing a lot of blood."

"Where's your car?" Were the last words that Spike heard before he lost consciousness.

* * *

Part 3

"Hey, sleepy head." Spike heard a voice coo as his eyes fluttered open. He could smell fresh blood and was handed a cup. Spike grabbed it from the girl and drank it down hungrily.

"It's human." Spike looked at her. "How did you know?"

"That you're a vampire? I know that a lot of strange things happen here in Vancouver, plus I saw your face change." She smiled, her teeth in a perfect white gleaming row. Her black hair was in loose curls that framed her face.

"But... did you take me to a hospital?"

"Of course not! I know that Marcus's friends wouldn't want to get involved with anything that might fall into the hands of the police, so they wouldn't come to the hospital to check things out. By the time they went back to the alley the vampire was gone, so no loose ends Except for that creepy leader guy."

"Jacob. I'm going to kill him. By the way, how did you get the blood?"

"I know people in seedy places, Spike." She smiled. "I heard him call you that. My name is Christine." She stuck out her hand.

Spike took her hand and shook it gently. "You're human, and you beat three vampires. I'm impressed."

"Thanks. You didn't do too bad yourself, with broken ribs and a stake in your chest. You took out three vampires and would have killed Jacob if he hadn't run like a bitch."

Spike smiled. Maybe he wouldn't drain her after all. He might even turn her. She would be amazing as a vampire.

"How did you know that they were after me? Why did you warn me?"

"Answer number one. Before I went on my break, two guys came in asking if I'd seen a blond British guy around the club. I told them no. When I turned to get one of them a drink they had no reflection in the mirror behind the bar, so two plus two equals I warned you because I thought it was the right thing to do," she replied. Moving the sheet down over Spike's chest, she gently removed the bandage over his wound. Spike looked at her caring manner. 

"Who's Slayer?" She asked.

"What?"

"When I came in the alley you said 'Slayer', I heard you," she said, as she threw the blood filled bandage in the garbage. She took out another set of gauze and tape. 

"It's just someone I knew. I don't know why I called her name." Spike said honestly, searching within his mind. 

"Is she Buffy?" She asked as she cut the tape.

"How do you know about Buffy?"

"You talk in your sleep." Christine smiled when Spike groaned. "She must have had quite an impact on you."

"Yeah. She put me in a wheelchair, destroyed my relationship with my one true love, and I haven't been able to kill her. She's the bane of my existence."

Christine giggled. 

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow at her and sat up straighter, which only made his ribs hurt. "What's so funny?"

"You remind me of my husband."

"You're married."

"Was," she said, her tone lowering. "Daniel died a month ago. Car accident."

Spike looked at her expression of pain on her face.

"He and I never got along when we first met, probably like you and her of course. I was twenty , he was twenty-two and we hated each other's guts. He was so cocky and so annoying. We were never friends, yet for almost every important event in both of our lives we were there to witness it. Over the next four years we were part to each other's triumphs and failures, we witnessed each other's best and worst moments. At times we would be the brutally honest person that everyone needs to have in their lives to straighten them out when they did, or were going to do, something wrong. That certainly didn't make us fond of each other! But, on my twenty-fifth birthday, my father died. He was my only living relative, and Daniel was the only one that I could talk to about it. He understood because he had no family either. So we became each other's family, became close; and on my twenty-sixth birthday he became my husband." She smiled as a tear streamed down her face. "Now can you believe it? I'm twenty-eight and a widow! We wasted all of those years . . ."

Christine finished re-bandaging his wound and sat silent. She wiped the tears from her eyes and got up, walking towards the door. "I have to go to work soon. I think you should stay here until your ribs heal completely."

"Are you sure?" He asked, tiredly wondering, '_ why the hell am I being polite_? _ I 'm a demon for God sake!' _ But he was also vulnerable and that took precedent over the demon.

"Yeah," she answered, not turning around to face him while closing the bedroom door. "Yeah. I have feeling since Mama Sha let you in that you won't kill me."

* * *

Part 4

Jacob laid in the bed with his newest fledgling. For the whole day she was curled up by his side as he stewed over Spike.

"I can't believe that son-of-a-bitch is not dust yet."

"He will be, Master. You have sent your best minions out again to capture the girl, and maybe she is protecting him," she answered, confident in her Master's abilities.

"I know that. Stop telling me my own friggin' plan like I didn't come up with it!" Jacob shoved her off the bed. "God! Where's L'nor when I need her?"

"You dusted her." A small voice said from the ground, not daring to move.

"Get up!" Jacob said angrily. His ankle was throbbing as it healed. He saw the young vampire stand instantly. "What the hell is your name, again?"

"Cindy," she said quietly.

"Cindy. Now, I have a bunch of books over there, and I want you to find the Book of Addest."

"Yes, Master." Cindy scurried to the other side of the room and looked through the books.

Suddenly one of his minions entered the room.

"Rialto, what have you found out about Spike?"

"He's disappeared, Master. We have no clue, but the girl will be working tonight." The minion licked the remnants of blood from his lips, and Cindy smiled as she brought the book to Jacob.

"There's something that's been bothering me. I don't know why, but this book has the answers." Jacob looked at the old brown covered book, then ushered everyone out of the room as he began to read.

* * *

Part 5

"Mommy? Mommy?" Buffy heard a little girl call. 

The park was full of children and parents. Buffy felt a sharp tug on her skirt. She looked down to see a pretty little girl with black hair and sea green eyes, looking up at her.

"Didn't you hear me calling you?" she pouted.

"I think you're mistaking me for your mommy, but I'm not her." Buffy said, kneeling down so that the she and the little girl were at eye level.

"How come Daddy doesn't come to the park with us?" the girl asked. The sun shone against her black hair, making it look like glass.

"I don't . . ." Buffy started, but the vision of Faith walking toward her stopped her.

"Hey big sis." Faith called. She wasn't in her usual black leather but was in blue jeans and a white tank top.

"Auntie Faith!" The little girl ran into Faith's arms.

"Buffy, have you made arrangements already?" Willow asked as they strolled into the magic shop.

"For what?" Buffy asked looking for Faith and the little girl.

"The party. It's going to be her fifth birthday, you two should get this ready." Willow whispered.

"Two? Me and Angel?" 

"Who? Angel? I haven't heard you say his name in years."

"Buffy, I've ordered the cake." Olivia gushed, as she came out of the back room, with Travers in tow.

"Travers?" Buffy felt panicked as she saw the councilman.

"Yes. I've come to see your progress."

"Progress? On what?"

Willow, Olivia and Travers all laughed. Suddenly Buffy was standing in the park again, which was empty. Until...

"You know you never learn. B, you always leave things unprotected." Faith pulled the little girl in front of her, and held a oddly shaped blade in front to her neck. Faith, even on her knees, towered over the little girl.

"Faith, what are you doing?"

"You just have everything, don't you, B? The mom, the friends, the husband, the kid. Buffy always gets what she wants. Now I get to take it away."

The girl looked at Buffy wild eyed. "Mommy, you said you'd never leave. You said you'd keep me safe. Mommy, save me!" Those were her last words as Faith slid the knife across her throat, and bright red blood poured from the little girl's throat. 

"Nooooooo!" Buffy screamed.

* * * 

"Noooooo!" Buffy tossed and thrashed.

"Buffy? Buffy?" 

Buffy's eye flew open to see her mother sitting on the edge of her bed shaking her gently.

"Mom?" Buffy sat up quickly and hugged her mother.

"What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing."

* * * 


	2. Chapter 2 010702

** CHAPTER 2**

Part 6

"Hey Chris, what happened to that guy? Marcus told me about the attack in the alley." Nina, Christine's best friend asked. 

"He's going to be fine. Is Marcus coming tonight? I really need to thank him." 

"No he isn't, he has some BUSINESS to do." Nina replied, turning towards the customer in front of her. 

"A Cosmo please." 

"Sure." Nina mixed the drink. The club wasn't packed because it was only nine o'clock, and although it was New Year's eve, no one would be in 'til around eleven to start the festivities.

"So, is this guy Marcus told me about your new honey?" Nina asked handing the guy his change.

"Nina! Daniel died five weeks ago, and you think this guy is my boyfriend?" Christine looked at her friend with disgust.

"You have to move on girl! Just because you're with someone new, doesn't mean that you didn't love Daniel." Nina told her best friend. Christine just looked at her, shook her head and served the next guy at the counter.

"What would you like sir?" Christine looked up to see piercing blue-green eyes staring straight into hers.

"I'd like to hav' an ale. Something Canadian." He smiled sweetly at her. Christine blinked her eyes at the man sitting in front of her. His hair was as black as hers, the slight smile made him look even more handsome, and the accent certainly made him even sexier. 

Christine handed him a Labatt Blue and cringed at his ensemble, a loud green shirt with a worn brown leather jacket

"So what do you want?" She asked him. He looked up from his beer stunned. "Something about you You want to tell me something?"

"Yer pretty quick, luv." He took a another sip of his beer.

"I can read people and ** demons** well."

He nearly choked on his beer. "Alright. No beating aroun' the bush, wit' you. The name's Doyle." 

The Irish man extended his arm out to the young woman who looked at it, then at him. "Ok then Christine, I've come to warn you that some vampires are going to attack you tonight to find some one you know. Now, in my vision you were fighting them, but you didn't survive, so I'm here to advise you not to do that tonight, but to leave now." He took a large gulp of the beer and continued. "As you probably can see, I'm new at this, but you hav' to believe me."

"Sure, I'm going to abandon my job on the busiest day of the year, because you said so. Whatever." She started to turn away from him but he grabbed her arm.

"No, you're going to abandon your job on the busiest day of the year so that you an' yer child can live. And fulfil yer destiny." Doyle's words shook her to the core.

"I don't have a child." She replied yanking her arm out of his grasp, "I can't."

"You can an' you will. You will in about eight months." His face looked sincere which scared Christine even more. Her eyes danced as she thought: 'Eight months. That means' The night before Daniel died, they had made love, but she couldn't be pregnant.

"You're serious?"

"As a heart attack."

Christine looked at her stomach and then at Doyle.

"Christine, this guy bothering you?" Nina asked as she had witnessed the exchange.

"Nina. I don't feel good. I'm going home." Christine looked at Doyle one more time and then headed to the back room.

"I think you should leave." Nina said looking at Doyle accusingly. Doyle threw down the money on the counter and left.

_ 'I hope she listened,'_ he thought, as he walked out the door.

* * *

Christine gathered her things, from her locker.

"What are you doing?"

Christine nearly jumped a foot off of the ground.

"Whoa, I didn't mean to startle you. What did that guy say to you?"

"I leaving Nina, tell Paul that I quit. Tell him anything, I have to go."

"Hey, tell me what's going on? Is that the guy from last night? Where are you going?" Nina pleaded as Christine brushed past her.

"I'll call you later on and explain everything Nina."

"Fine." Nina grumbled in frustration as Christine left.

* * * 

Spike was shocked when Christine walked back into her loft an hour and a half later. Her face was stained with tears, when she entered her bedroom. Spike's unbeating heart sank a little at her expression of confusion and then sorrow.

He felt compassion for her which made his demon cringe.

"What's wrong?" He asked her as she left the bathroom where he heard her crying for the last ten minutes.

"I just really get myself worked up over nothing." She put on a fake smile, which only brought on more tears. "I shouldn't take this seriously. I can make an appointment on Monday and see if it's true, and it'll probably be false."

She walked over to the king-sized bed where Spike lay, curled up next to him and rested her head on his thigh. She turned on the TV, and chose a New Years show to watch. Her green eyes suddenly looked at Spike and he looked back at her.

"So ** do** you plan to kill me?"

Spike thought about it as cool tears soaked his pant leg. Her eyes pleaded for an honest answer. 

"No."

"Good." 

And for the first time in over hundred and eighteen years he celebrated New Year's Eve with a human.

* * *

Part 7

Christine crept downstairs to see Mama Sha. The mysterious woman was in her mid-seventies and still going strong. She was exceptionally healthy and strong for her age. She had saved Christine from a vampire one night and they had been good friends ever since. She knew that there was something special about Mama Sha but she didn't know what, well, besides that she killed demons.

"I guess that makes you special enough." Christine said as she opened the woman's front door. She never kept it looked. "Mama Sha?" Christine's green eyes swept across the dark apartment. The walls were painted a rich purple and the furniture was a deep burgundy with cream pillows. The kitchen was a mass of stainless steel, and the dining room was converted into a psychic's haven holding crystals, tarot cards, and bottle and vials of things. Christine had no clue what were in them, and the way some of them looked told her that she didn't want to know.

"Hello child." Mama kissed Christine on the cheek after she approached the girl smiling.

"Hi." Christine gave the woman a tight squeeze and then she felt Mama Sha drag her towards the table.

"You look well, but I can see a slight air of misery around you. What's wrong child? You should be happy, you will have a child soon." Mama Sha could see the surprise in Christine's face.

"How did you ?. ."

"Child I know all." Mama smiled, her Haitian accent heavy. She could tell that Christine didn't come to hear that, but could also tell that the news had saddened Christine a bit. Mama decided she would find out later. "How is this Spike? Do you need more blood?"

"Ahhh yes Mama." Christine said noticing the switch in topics.

"So how are things child with you? I can tell something is worrying you."

"Well Spike is taking a long time to heal. I know that it's only been three days but ..... I was wondering if you could take a look at him?" Christine asked.

"Certainly child. I'll come up in an hour."

"Thank you Mama Sha." Christine left to go and check on Spike after giving Mama Sha a hug.

* * *

Mama Sha stepped into the room and cursed silently at the state of vampire. Spike's chest wound hadn't healed. '_ There are probably slivers of wood in it_' she thought. She touched his ribs, which were healing quickly, they only needed another day and they would be fine. However, the stake wound was hindering his recovery. Mama brought out a potion. She was about to poor it onto his chest when a strong hand gripped hers.

"I don't think so!" Spike grumbled, "I never trust a witch. For some reason most of them don't like us vampires." 

"Oh shut-up an' let me do this! You are no good to Christine this way, so let me go before I turn you into a large pile of dust." Mama said, shaking off his grip, "It would have been better if you were sleeping, but now that you are awake, bite on this." She stuffed a piece of cloth into his mouth and poured the concoction on his wound, and if not for the cloth, the whole neighbourhood would have heard his screams. He had never felt pain like that in his undead life, but as quickly as the pain started, it ended, and his chest wound immediately closed. His vampiric face receded and he felt better, his ribs still ached a bit, but he knew he'd be fine.

"Drink this." She shoved a container in front of his face and he drank it hesitantly, it tasted awful but he still drank it. He instantly felt sleepy again and his eyes fell shut. "Good, now sleep, and let me tell you something. You won't do anything to her, you hear me? Nothing. You will do what is written. I put my faith in the words."

Spike had no clue what the old woman was talking about, but soon he drifted into sleep.

* * *

** Part 8**

Jacob's four minions; Duke, Al, Stacy and Phil patiently waited at the bar, but the girl never showed up. They looked at all the warm bodies moving on the dance floor, and then looked back at the pretty bartender.

"Would you like a drink?" Nina asked the couple that sat in front of her. Stacy and Phil looked at her and then at each other both knowing that bartender would make a tasty snack. They both laughed and ordered two Bloody Mary's. Nina looked at them strangely, and turned to mix the drinks.

Marcus and his friend walked into the club and sat down at the open end of the bar. A slow R&B song played and Marcus wanted to dance with his girl.

"Hello? I am at work." Nina admonished him before giving the two patrons their drinks.

"Come on." Marcus urged as his friends laughed.

"Man she's got you pussy-whipped." His friends laughter blared and then roared, and Marcus nodded in agreement.

"She does literally."

Nina glared at her boyfriend but a small smile crept up on her face and she turned her back to him. 

"Come on Nin, a dance."

"Marc, I can't ! I have double duty now that Chris left."

"Yeah, what happened to that guy? From a couple of days ago, with Chris?" Tim asked.

"He's cool. From what I understand, he's at her place."

"What?" Steve looked really pissed. "You said that you were going to hook me up with her when she got over Daniel, and now you're telling me that she's shacked up with some punk who got his ass kicked?" The bodybuilder huffed as he paid for the drinks.

Stacy and Phil were on high alert and motioned to Duke and Al to move in closer to get every detail and to find out where Spike was hiding out.

"First of all, my friend doesn't 'shack up' with guys, and secondly, she's pregnant, so I think that ** you** shouldn't even bother her anymore. Like she was interested anyway." Nina replied a matter of factly to Steve

"Not interested in me? She must be blind." Nina rolled her eyes at his response and passed them some beers.

Nina sighed as the guys moved to table on the other side of the club. Marcus grabbed her hand quickly, "Is she ** really** ok with this guy?"

"I think so. I really don't know what their deal is, and when she called me and told me that she was pregnant I nearly freaked. I'm going over to see her after my shift ends."

"I'll go with you." Marcus kissed Nina gently before following his friends.

Phil looked over at Stacy who took off to a corner and dialled Jacob on the cell phone. She listened to his instructions carefully and then returned to the bar.

* * *

The group of vampires followed the couple to an old warehouse building converted into lofts. They had no clue which apartment was housing Spike but soon as they tried to walk through the door they were stopped by an invisible barrier. An old black woman came out of her apartment on the ground floor and met the vampires.

"You can't come in here." She hissed at them, her eyes wild with fire.

"We just have a friend to visit, Ma'am. If you could just let us in."

"You see me looking old, but I am wise. I've been through life. I know your kind and you can't get in this building unless I let you in, so leave, vampires. And don't bother try to let anyone else get you in, you can't cross unless you have my permission." She said looking at the four.

"Well you have a vampire staying in here already." Al barked getting angry.

"I know, but ** you** can't come in here. He was chosen. You were not. Now leave." She threw a fine dust towards the vampires and they ran as they saw Al turn into a pile of ashes before their eyes. They stared at the old woman in shock for a second and then took off .

* * *

** Part 9**

"So an old woman scared you off. Is that your excuse!" Jacob's yelled at his minions.

"She was a witch Master, a very powerful witch." Duke defended them. "She turned Al into dust with a a powder."

"So, if you can't get Spike in the apartment, then get him outside, and if you can't get him, then get the GODDAMN GIRL! Get out of my sight before I stake one of you idiots!" Jacob blared, and one of his minions brought him a young girl to snack on.

"She's cute." He admired her olive coloured skin, then looked deep into her dark brown oval eyes. Her straight dyed red hair looked beautiful in contrast to her skin colour. "Your name?"

"Liliane." She trembled in his grasp. His cold hands snaked around her waist pulling the lanky girl onto his lap.

"Last name?" He sniffed her, smelling her fear made him chuckle.

"Fujisawa."

"Hmmmmmm." He nuzzled his nose against her neck, "I felt like having Japanese today."

He licked along her neck. The girl gasped in shock and struggled to break free from his grasp. The vampire's laugh echoed in the room. 

"Get out!" He commanded as the remaining fledgling left.

She looked around the room for a weapon and noticed his bandaged ankle and kicked him hard. The Master cried out in pain but didn't loosen his grip on her. "You BITCH!"

He put on his game face, as she began to scream. His teeth cut through her skin easily and within seconds her struggles stopped. He drained her and dumped her body on the floor. She struggled to breathe as she felt weaker and weaker with each gasp.

"Duke, get your ASS in here!" 

Duke ran threw the door almost immediately.

"Turn this bitch. She needs a couple of rounds of torture before I officially kill her."

Duke opened his wrist and held it to her mouth, she no longer struggled. When he was done, he turned to his sire. "What do you want me to do with her now?"

"I don't think your demon can handle knowing Duke."

The minion smiled, knowing his masters talent for cruelty especially after what he did to L'nor.

Duke had know idea that vampires could bleed that much, but now he would get a second attempt to see his sire's mastery at work.

* * *

When Spike woke up he felt as good as new and extremely hungry. It had been a week since the old woman made him drink that potion and he felt stronger then ever. He couldn't sense Christine so he knew that he was alone. The peroxide blonde grabbed his clothes and changed into them quickly and set out to hunt. He had no intent of returning. _ Why bother?_

He wasn't going to kill Christine. He had a certain code of ethics, even for a vampire. No pregnant women. He almost laughed at himself. "Code of ethics!" He said to himself before he closed the door.

* * *

Christine hurried from Nina's apartment. It was just after sunset and she stopped at the store to pick up her dry cleaning and completely lost track of time. She had her tazer gun with her but it was still. She hurried down the bustling street. She was a block from her loft when two strong hands pulled her into an alley.

Christine's scream was muffled by a large hand.

The vampire laughed as he slammed her back against the building wall.

"Now I think that you'll be very quiet. Won't you?" The vampire asked.

Fear coursed through Christine's body. Her purse was lying on the ground, so there was no way that she could get her tazer gun.

"We just want you take us to Spike. Now I am going to take my hand off of your mouth and you won't scream because you'll definitely regret it." 

There were three vampires and she had no weapons. She silently cursed as she watched her purse.

"Well you are a pretty little thing aren't you." The first vampire said as her stroked her face.

"Now Spike" Another one stepped up. "We want you to bring him outside." 

"You guys think that I'm go....ahhhhhhhhhhhh." Her head suddenly felt like it was going to explode. 

Her ears were ringing. It was probably just a slap in vampire terms, but it was an all out slug in human strength. Her lip was split and the blood ran freely followed from the wound. The three vampires watched the bloody trickle down her chin. The leader stepped forward licked her chin clean then began to suck slowly on her lip and finally pulled back, "I suggest that you take the offer because it's the only way that you are getting out of here."

"Screw you!" She said she felt the back of her head hit the wall behind her as the vampire slammed into her pinning her against the wall. He turned her head awkwardly. Christine felt like her neck was going to snap but instead she felt the pain of razors cutting into her neck. The other vampires watched and smiled as they moved in to take a taste. One grabbed her wrist and sunk his fangs into her veins.

* * *

As soon as Spike rounded the corner he could smell the blood. He turned to see two vampires feeding from a girl. The third stood guard as the others slowly drank from her. He suddenly looked down the alley and saw Spike, the vampire who had injured his Master and took off running. A street car passed and silver of light hit the girls face and Spike realized that it was Christine. He growled as he charged the vampires. The one feeding from her wrist looked up in time to see a stake being rammed into his chest and soon afterward imploded into a pile of dust. The one feeding from her neck pulled away from her smiling, as her body slumped against the wall. He smiled at Spike, holding Christine's body in his arms. He looked at the woman and then threw her at Spike and took off down the alley.

Spike caught Christine and looked at her limp body, her pale face and her blue lips made Spike feel weird. He couldn't quite describe it, but he didn't like it. He could hear her heartbeat slowing down, and cradled her gently in his arms as he ran with her towards the hospital a few blocks away. 

* * *

It took the doctors a few hours to come out before they told Spike anything. Mama Sha came out from the elevator as the Doctor approached them. 

"Well, she is going to live, but she's extremely weak and she insists on going home." The doctor shook her head. 

"I'll tell her that she has to stay." Spike said forcefully

"No! She can come home if that's what she wants." Mama Sha scolded.

"I don't advise..."

"I don't care." Mama Sha glared at the middle-aged man.

Spike looked at the old woman and began to wonder what she was up to.

* * *

Spike shook his head and walked down the hall, not wanting to listen to the Doctor or Mama Sha. He slowly walked into the waiting room and sat down. He could smell the blood and death throughout the whole hospital. "What the hell is happening to me? I was-was bloody worried about her. I was..." Spike whispered to himself in disbelief. "Ssc-scared?"

"Pardon me sweety?" Spike turned toward the voice and looked into familiar blue eyes. He looked into the woman's face, and saw her pale blond hair and rosy coloured cheeks. She looked at the vampire expectantly.

Spike could have sworn that his heart had skipped a beat as he looked into the woman's face. Her eyes danced and her smile was light and warm.

"Mother?" He asked barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Willy." She smiled brightly.

"Are you for real?"

"As real as you want honey."

"Why are you here Mum?" Spike scooted over toward the woman examining her modern day clothes. A floor dress and black sandals. She reached out and touched his hand. Her warmth shocked him and then she reached for his face grabbing his earlobes like she always did when he was a boy and she wanted to tell him something important.

"Something big is happening and you must be aware. Evil is coming. Good is coming. You are both. That is why you were chosen." She smiled at him still holding him lovingly.

"Chosen for what?"

She smiled one last time. "To keep her safe."

A loud noise diverted Spike's attention, he turned to see the noise and then he turned back to see his mother was gone.

* * *

When Christine woke up, she was more than a little surprised to see Spike sitting next to her holding her hand and Mama Sha behind him. She had no clue how or when she got him, but she was happy to see both of them. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes as sleep called her.

* * *

Part 10

In the few weeks that passed, Christine and Spike had gotten close. He knew that eventually he'd have to go, because a vampire and human living together went against every law of nature possible. They were like brother and sister. They argued over television, politics and sports.

"So what exactly is the deal with you and this Buffy girl?" Christine asked her new roommate.

"Nothing. As I told you before . . ." 

"Yeah I know bane of my existence yadda, yadda, yadda." Christine took the blood out of the microwave and handed the mug to Spike.

It had been nearly a month since she had gone to the doctors for the test and she was definitely pregnant.

Christine had asked him to stay with her, and the fact that he accepted staying with a human was weird to him. She reminded him of his friend Melanie when he was human, she had always been kind and sweet to William, unlike the other people in his life. Her family and his had always been close, and his mother even suggested once that he should court her. William smiled shyly at his mother and told her that he was in love with Cecily Addams 'Cecily,' he thought. She was the reason he was an immortal. That rejection, that humiliation, had driven him into the night and into Drusilla's arms.

"But you helped her save the world, even if it was for selfish reasons, but you still did it." Christine stirred the eggs in the pan. "Somewhere deep down you like her."

"No!"

"Whatever. Let me ask you a question. If you were human, would you two have a relationship? Or if she was a vampire, would you two be together, like you and Dru were?"

"No."

"Fine, deny it." Christine turned off the stove.

"I'm not denying anything." Spike mumbled as he looked at the clock which read 11:00 am. It was going to be a long day.

* * * 

As soon as nightfall hit, Spike went out hunting for food. He came across a young couple going into a movie theatre, they were holding hands and giggling like school children. 

Spike let go of the cold dead body in his hands. Draining this girl hadn't taken much effort. Spike had contemplated turning her but the couple distracted him from the small time window he had to turn a human. He dropped her behind the dumpster in the alley he was in and followed the couple.

"Where are we going?" The guy asked his girlfriend playfully.

"Just follow me." She smiled at him.

The words sent a haunting thrill through Spike.

** _ London, England July 1880_**.

_ "Where are we going?" William asked Melanie._

"Just follow me." She replied, squeezing his hands tighter as they walked away from the square. There was a small building at the edge which her parents owned. She led him up the back stairs, onto the slanted roof of the building. The setting sun glowed in colours of purple, pink, orange, and red over the horizon. William's breath caught in his throat at the beautiful sight before him. Watching a setting sun from up here was magnificent.

William searched for a piece of paper as the words flowed into his mind. Melanie smiled as she handed him a piece of paper. He smiled knowingly at her.

"It's perfect." He gasped as he sat down on the flat part of the roof, and began writing furiously. Melanie smiled at his enthusiasm. "This will be the perfect poem to give Cecily."

Melanie's face dropped as her name left his tongue. She wanted to yell at him, she wanted to shake him, but tomorrow at the party she would tell him how she felt. She would wear her new dress and dazzle him, making him forget about plain old Cecily.

_ William looked up at her, and Melanie quickly smiled at him as he patted the space next to him. She sat down and watched him watching the sun's final glimmer before disappearing._

* * *

Spike, in his thoughts, had lost sight of the couple, but he had landed in front of a photo studio where the display photos had baby's gurgling with laughter and beautiful couples looking in love. As he looked at the last eight by ten picture from the end, he saw a familiar face. The girl looked like Melanie, her brown hair curled just like Melanie's had, and the crooked smile was almost identical. From the looks of it, the picture had been taken in a park, and she was sitting smiling, holding a baby in her arms. A tall dark man sat on her right side and smiled right into the camera like her. Their eyes burned a hole in Spike's psyche. 

Why had he decided to stay with Christine? He was is in no way interested in her romantically, and she was not interested in him. Yet he felt compelled not to kill her. He felt compelled to stay. Why? He looked at the picture again, and the infant looked at him.

"The baby?" He whispered.

* * * 


	3. Chapter 3 011402

** CHAPTER 3**

Part 11

Jacob had yet to find the perfect revenge to enact against Spike. Days soon turned into weeks and his failed attempt to get at Spike had lead the vampire to go down new avenues. He began to look through the volumes of books he had acquired over the years. He briefly remembered the prophecy but for some reason it had been bothering him for the last week. He never normally listened to stupid prophecies, but his sire Oyala had nearly drilled it into his head; he'd even collected books for Jacob to read.

He was tired of looking through the musty old books. He picked up a small book at looked at its frail condition, as he flipped through the pages he landed upon an interesting passage, about a vampire with a soul. Jacob couldn't suppress a laugh when he read page after page. He was going to destroy Spike and another enemy in one fail swoop. Resting the book on the table he slowly got up as he called for his minions. The plan needed to be put into action quickly. He needed time to torment Spike and the girl for making a fool out him.

He was practically giddy as he started barking orders.

* * *

Christine walked along the bustling city street, finding maternity clothes was something she thought was never supposed to be in her future but for the last five months. She walked into small shop and was greeted by an lady in her early sixties. Her white and brown hair made her look motherly and Christine took an instant liking to her. They talked about baby clothes and cribs, and all the rest of the happy, joyous things that went along with having a baby. It wasn't until three men entered the nearly vacant shop that Christine thought something was wrong. She looked at the old woman and, to her shock, the woman smiled and jabbed her arm with a small needle. Christine suddenly felt drowsy and one of the men caught her before she fell to the ground. 

* * * 

Part 12

Spike looked at the clock nervously as sundown approached. Normally Christine would be home by now, and he knew that if Jacob was still after him, that they were after her. He was going to leave Vancouver that night. He had no clue how to explain it but he was going to have to get out of her life so that Jacob wouldn't target her. He was more shocked at how disciplined his demon was around her. Night after night he would kill, letting her think that he was only feeding from his victims not draining them. He was more surprised when she suggested that he just not kill his victims. He had expected her to ask him not to, but he suspected she knew the nature of the beast within him. He hated lying to her but agreed.

Suddenly there was a strangle rattling at the door and Spike ran to get it only to see Mama Sha standing there with some keys.

"Where's Christine?" She asked barging her way past Spike.

"She's still out."

Her posture stiffened, "He has her."

"What?" Spike let her words sink in. "How do you know?"

"That vampire has her. I feel it in me bones. You must find his lair."

Spike grabbed his duster and stakes and headed out the door. "I got somewhere to go first."

* * *

Part 13

A dull throb ached through Christine's body as she tried to sit up. The surroundings here were dark, with a single lamp on the other side of the room by a desk. Christine focused her vision to see a man sitting in the chair at the desk, his face marred by shadows.

"Christine."

"Y-yes?"

"My name is Jacob." He laughed as her heartbeat quickened, "No no. Take it easy. We wouldn't want anything to happen to your little one."

Jacob stepped out of the shadows and Christine finally got to see the demon as he flicked on a light illuminating the whole room. She was temporarily blinded by the sudden change and as soon as she focused, she was staring into dark brown eyes. Jacob sat down next to her on the bed.

"You are beautiful." Jacob commented as he fingered her healed bite mark on her neck. She flinched and tried to pull away but his other hand held her wrist tightly. "Now, now, that is no way to treat a host is it?"

Christine shook in fear not daring to say a word.

"Maybe when this is all over I can have you...." His pause bought tears of fright to her eyes. "As my mate."

Her shudder released one tear that he quickly licked off of her cheek, "Spike is gonna kick your ass."

"Humph! Really? Like he did last time?"

"No, then you had like ten minions this time it'll be one on one."

"Tsk! Tsk! But this time I know all there is to know about old Spikey boy. See, you are his weakness and this baby is your weakness." He stroked her stomach. "See I know about you."

The mother to be eyed the vampire strangely.

"You don't know." his laugh reverberated in her chest. "Well let's start from the beginning shall we."

* * *

Part 14

"Well, well it took you long enough." Jacob sang as Spike walked through the door dusting off his coat and dropped a black duffel bag to the ground.

Well, most of your minions kept getting in my way." Spike retorted, prepared to battle until he saw Christine sitting on the bed next to Jacob crying on his shoulder. Spike was now more confused than before, seeing Jacob stroke her hair, trying to calm her.

"Well Spike I see we still have some unfinished business."

Christine's green eyes pleaded with Spike to help her.

"Christine come to me please." She looked from Spike to Jacob and made her way over to the blond vampire. He slipped off his duster and handed it to her.

"You won't have her for long Spike. Once she has the tyke. It's all over."

"Actually you won't have long to live. Well, un-live." Spike gnashed his teeth as he handed Christine a stake. She took the piece of wood and backed into a corner, then, all hell broke loose. 

Jacob stood up before Spike launched his attack, hitting the older vampire with a hard right. Sending Jacob flying backwards, he quickly pivoted as Spike grabbed a crossbow and shot it. Jacob dove out of the way and grabbed a battle axe in the process, and threw it at Spike. The peroxide vampire jumped out of the way.

"Christine, run!" Spike yelled at her.

Christine saw the book on a nearby table. She grabbed it and dashed out of the room and down the dark hallway. Christine made it halfway down until a fledging stepped in her way.

"I have a feeling that Jacob would be pretty impressed if I kept you around." The redheaded vampiress smiled putting on her game face and walked toward her newest prey.

Christine clutched the stake and a the book to her. 

Christine clutched the stake and the book to her, and backed slowly away from the vampire, until a loud blast knocked her off her feet.

* * *

"We can be at this all night Spike." Jacob chuckled as a trail of blood ran down his chin.

"Actually we can't." Spike glanced at the duffel bag. "According to my watch, we've got forty seconds."

What the hell?" Jacob looked at the bag, then stood in shock as Spike took a dive out of the window. The vampire ran to the bag and opened it to see the bomb's timer counting down with 15 seconds left. He ran through the doorway and landed heavily on a tiny figure.

Christine took the opportunity and bolted down the stairway, before a pair of strong hands grabbed her. Spike shielded her with his body as the explosion went off. The vampire guided the human to the end of the alley way to his Desoto. Within seconds they were driving away.

"In the speak of the Slayer. Fire pretty."

Christine smiled as she kept the book hidden beneath his duster.

* * *

Part 15

For the next few weeks Spike and Christine stayed on alert for any of Jacob's minions that may have escape but weeks turned into two months and the friends decided that the coast was clear. Spike wanted to leave but with Mama Sha's urging stayed. He still had reservations about getting this close to a human even after all the months he spent with her, he felt like there was somewhere else he was suppose to be. Spike shook off the feeling as he lugged himself out of bed.

"Spike I'm leaving for the appointment with the new doctor. Bye." Christine called as she left.

* * *

The warm morning sun shone brilliantly bright over Vancouver. Leaving the Doctors office Christine's black hair fanned over her back as she walked down the University Hospital steps. 

She sat down on the bench waiting for the bus, when a man sat down next to her. Christine turned her head slightly to look at him. The man stared at her and she gave him a shy awkward smile.

"Hi."

"Hello, Miss."

She turned back to observing on the street.

"So how far along are you?"

She really didn't feel like telling this man any information about her but sucked it in and decided to be polite. "Seven months."

"Wow! And you're so young. Too young to be having a baby."

"I'm 28. I think that I'm old enough." Christine gritted between teeth. _ This man is starting to piss me off_, she thought. His brownish-grey hair shimmered in the sun. His brow furrowed at her answer.

"Oh you just look younger that that. Well your husband or boyfriend must be happy."

His British accent reminded her when Spike talked like a 'proper British man' when they joked around.

"My husband is dead.." She replied coldly to the man.

Oh . . . . So who is going to raise your baby?"

She looked at him with sheer confusion and then contempt. "What? Why? Who are you?"

"Who I am is not important, but what I'm going to say is."

Christine leapt off the bench.

Miss, your baby has a great destiny ahead of her."

She backed away from him slowly

"You must listen."

* * * 

For the whole day, Buffy had considered telling Giles about her dream, but with everything that had happened in the last few weeks with Faith, The Council and the Mayor, some dreams were the least of her problems.

Buffy walked wondering aloud. "What the hell am I doing? They locked me up in house with a crazed vampire, then they fire Giles, and asking Wesley for help, that's an even bigger joke!" She sighed as she reached her front porch almost dreading going to sleep. She knew that it would be another night of dreaming. 

* * *


	4. Chapter 4 012202

** CHAPTER 4**

** Part 16**

"Mommy?"

Buffy spun around to her standing there in his arms.

"Mommy?"

Buffy looked at her and then at Spike. They stood silently over a grave. Buffy stepped closer to her name etched in the sculpted marble. She gasped as she looked at the young woman and Spike. The dark haired girl cried as Spike held her shaking body in her arms.

"I'll kill him for you mom. I promise." She exclaimed.

Buffy turned to see at her mother bathed in white light, smiling at her lovingly. "Mom?"

"Buffy make the most of your life, your time."

"Why?"

"I don't have much time left Buffy. You need to be back before Dawn." Joyce smiled before she suddenly disappeared.

"Nothing is much of what it seems." 

Buffy was suddenly in her living room. "What?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing is much of what it seems." Kendra repeated. She shook her head and began to walk away. "I have to go."

"Kendra wait!"

But it was too late, she was gone.

"Just like before." Buffy said just before she woke up.

* * * 

Buffy hated these weird dreams and although they seemed to be coming frequently as the summer continued, she never told Giles or any of the other scoobies. For some reason she needed to keep this to herself. She didn't know why, but she just knew that she should.

* * *

** Part 17**

"I think that's the last box, pet." Spike huffed as he sealed up the brown carton.

"Great! The movers will be here tomorrow."

"Are you sure you want to move now with the due date being so close and all."

"I don't think we have a choice. I don't want anymore run-ins with that strange man from the last doctor's appointment, and I know that you are worried about how many of Jacob's minions survived, so this just uncomplicates things. I wish Mama Sha was back from visiting her daughter, I wanted to say goodbye to her." Christine's eye brimmed with tears. "This was our place, we picked this out together, Daniel and I. We loved like no two people ever should ever love, and now..." She passed her hand over her belly. "Am I doing what's right?"

Her green eyes looked up to him for approval, "He would be proud of you! Especially after everything you've been through." Spike assured her before kissing her on the forehead. 

Christine roughly wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at her watch. "I have my last appointment with Dr. Maltman, in a couple of minutes. We better go, tonight is the last ultrasound before she is born." A crooked smile appeared on her face.

She grabbed a sweater and Spike took his duster and headed out into the unseasonably cool summer night.

* * *

That weekend they finally finished moving into their new apartment, and they settled into the box filled living room.

"Hey, we've got all the necessities: a couch and an entertainment center." Christine said as she eased herself onto the sofa.

"A bloke needs nothing more."

"Pass me that bowl from microwave." She called to the vampire in the kitchen.

"What the hell is this? I have seen demons that don't look as bad as this concoction!"

"Just bring the bowl and the other one on the counter."

"I will never get over you women and the whole childbirth thing. I mean, that's a bloody person inside of you waiting to get out.. reminds me of that movie Aliens."

"Ok, that's gross!" Christine scoffed, "I mean, it's soooo not the same!"

"No, what's gross, is broccoli, melted cheese and chocolate sauce." Spike cringed as he handed her the tray. 

"I'm eating for two now."

"Yeah, I saw that fuzzy picture thing."

"An ultrasound. And you looked shocked."

"Well it's not like I've been party to many masquerades as a father to be to see an ultrasound. Never ceases to amaze me how fast the world changes. Hell, back in my day a Midwife did all this baby stuff without all the technology crap. "

"Technology crap huh? You sure love to watch Passions on my 56' screen tv... and I don't even wanna know what you download on my computer." 

Spike turned around from the entertainment center "I'm going to ignore that."

Christine giggled before she dipped a piece of broccoli in the chocolate syrup.

Spike made a face as she stuffed another piece into her mouth. "Alien!" Spike sang as he turned on the DVD player. "What do you want to watch love?"

"The Princess Bride."

"What a poofter movie." The peroxide vampire groaned putting in the disc.

"Hey! You remind me of Westley."

"Oh god no!" 

"You do. I mean he's all heroic and blond and handsome." Christine giggled as a smile crept over Spike's face. "Like you."

"Well go on luv, no need to stop."

She threw a pillow at him before he hopped onto the couch next to her.

* * *

Spike watched as Christine got half way through the movie before falling asleep. He gently stretched out her body on the couch and grabbed a comforter from the box marked 'beddings' and covered her with it.

He hated to leave her alone, but he needed to feed, so he quickly left into the night. 

* * *

** Part 18**

"Are you sure that she is the young woman?" Quentin Travers asked Lydia as he sipped his Scotch, looking at the picture that they had taken of Christine near the University hospital.

"Absolutely Mr. Travers. According to the Slayer's Codex, she is the one from the land of the mountains in the in the eighth zone from Dakar. She will be the woman that will bear the strongest Slayer. Well, this is the eighth time zone from Dakar, and the tale of her meeting a Master has happened, but we do not know how she survived and how she is to meet Angel. The rest of the prophecy expressly says that the vampire with the heart and soul to love will raise this child as his own."

"She must not be the one." The Councilman shock his head as he took another sip of his drink.

"But the Shaman...."

"The Shaman could be wrong."

"I highly doubt it." Lydia thumbed three her pages upon pages of notes on the 

"But we have already talked to Mr. Angel. He knows nothing... and besides, he is in California. How do we not know that the young woman is in LA?"

"Well the Shaman.."

"Here we go back to this again. Have we found where the girl lives yet?"

"No sir. It seems that she moved shortly after you approached her, but it was prophesied that she would meet with a Master vampire soon and survive. And we did hear of Jacob of the Order of Dimrui's death."

"But she could not have done that all by herself and that could also mean for all we know, some vampire could have her and the baby. And if the vampire is not Angel then who the hell could it be. I mean how many vampires did those gypsy curse. We have to find her before this baby is born. The Council has a responsibility to this child, and I do not want a child with her powers to be raised by the wrong... ehmm demon. That doesn't even sound right saying it." Travers scoffed.

"I know it's unsettling."

"Actually it's down right ridiculous. This baby should be under our charge. Not a vampire and definitely ** not** the mother-to-be."

"Mr. Travers, as you well know we should...."

"We should be finding this woman and not pussyfooting around here! With all the resources of the council, finding one pregnant woman should not be a challenge, and I want Winston and Reese to go back to Los Angeles and interview that vampire again."

Lydia chuckled and stopped at Quentin's glare. " Interview with A Vampire!" Quentin looked at her blankly, "The Anne Rice novel Nevermind!"

* * *

** Part 19**

Spike got back to the apartment minutes before dawn. Once he opened the door, he expected to find Christine still sleeping, instead, the apartment was empty. A sinking feeling hit his stomach until her saw her note. 

_ 'Spike I got lots of errands to run as you know time is coming close I got to do a bunch of stuff. See you soon, Chris.'_

Spike set the note down back on the table and went to take a quick shower and a nap before Christine came home. 

* * *

Spike paced the living room and watched as the clock began to wind down to sunset. In half an hour it would be dark and Christine wasn't back from going out and doing some last minute shopping.

The door opened quietly and Christine slipped in as much as her eight and a half month stomach would allow.

"Where'd you go? I was worried about you. You left for the whole day, and didn't call." 

"Ok, Spike you're turning out to be more of husband than a friend right now." Christine snapped.

"I just worry." He replied quietly grinding his teeth trying not to snap back, "It's your last couple of weeks in the pregnancy."

Christine shook her head and gave her roomy a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'm sorry. Thanks for the worrying."

"So what did you do all day?" The vampire brushed off the uneasy feeling he had about her. 

"Nothing much." She replied, a little too quickly for Spike's liking. "I'm going to have a shower, order a pizza. You know what I like."

Christine disappeared into her bedroom, and as soon as he heard the water turn on, he went to her purse. Something was going on, and he was going to find out what.

In her purse was a cell phone some papers and bank statements. A brown envelope caught his eyes, inside were insurance papers, savings bonds, and a card for a law firm Williams, Williams and MacMaster.

Spike put everything back and walked down the short hallway Even though the shower was on full blast he could still hear her crying. He sighed before he headed back down the stairs.

_ I can't believe I have no clue what to say to her! Isn't this suppose to be the happiest time of her life? I mean on those bloody tv specials always talk about a mother's glow._ He sighed again as he headed down the stairs. "Something is going on, and I have to find out what. Soon."

* * *

** Part 20**

"So how are you doing Buffy?" Willow's voice crackled over the phone lines, "Get any sleep."

"I'm ok. I'm surviving without him but it's hard. I got to go to sleep soon I am so tired. But these dreams that I have been having are not helping my sanity."

"What are they about? Are they about him?"

"You can say his name Willow, and no they aren't about Angel. I don't really want to get into it, Willow. Are we still going to take the tour of the campus tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. Oz is driving us."

Buffy felt a sharp stab of pain in her stomach, and doubled over on the living room floor.

Willow heard a strange thud, "Buffy?!?"

"Willow, I've got to go!" The Slayer hung up the phone abruptly and crawled onto the couch until the pain subsided. Within seconds she felt fine, but the pain was something she had never felt before, and it scared her. She just lay staring at the stucco ceiling until her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

* * * 

It was only still light outside as Christine gazed at the night's sky outside of her new bedroom window. She didn't have a chance to say a last good bye to Mama Sha in person, to the woman who had become her surrogate mother over the last 5 years. Christine sighed, not noticing the figure standing in the doorway.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing is going on, Spike." The raven haired beauty sighed again turning around.

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I found a new doctor today. I kind of need one for the birth and all." Christine not so subtly changed the subject.

"That's not going to work, Pet."

"Well it'll..." Christine suddenly clutched her stomach groaning in pain.

The vampire rushed to her side. "Chris, pet what is it?"

Her eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty. "I think it's time, Spike."

* * *

TBC... 


	5. Chapter 5 013102

** TAKEN BY SURPRISE**

** Author: ** Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards

** Feedback:**Do vampire's have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com

** Summary: ** Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. The council is after Christine and her baby and Spike gets something he never thought he'd have a baby.

** Warning:** **Character Death** This a Spike and baby story just to warn all. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship so bear with me.

** Things that must be known:** For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story. 

** Song:** Little Girl's Eyes by Lenny Kravitz (album: '5')

** Disclaimer:**I own none of BTVS characters, they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Niya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus

** Distribution: **THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, Dancing With Death, and Fanfiction.net. If you have pervious permission to take any of my fics that is fine ** but** Taken By Surprise is strictly for the sites listed above. No other site has my permission to post this fic.

** Author's Notes:** As for any medical stuff I know nothing and I did no research. Well that's not true the condition in this story does exist for some women, I saw it on The Learning Channel. So there I did do research. 

I started this fic in December 2000 and I have had most of it done but a co-writer offered me suggestions on making this a better fic and I took her advice and this fic has become a near novel. Well I started getting it betad in November 2001 and then all of my exams, papers and real life in general stalled this fic again. Then the whopper came when I saw ATS, episode DAD and I nearly freaked at some of the similarities between my fic and that eppy. I was going to scrap this fic even though it was over a 100 pages and near done. I didn't want people to think that I took the idea from Angel when technically I had it written down and floating around the net since April 2001. So now I present to all that will read my baby (the fic that is for all to see).

Dedication: To Hilary who forced me to finish this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. And thanks to the other Hunnies. To Miss Binks who helped me SO MUCH especially with chapter 5. To Esme my faithful beta, thanks bunches. 

______________________________________________________________________________

** CHAPTER 5**

** Part 21**

As they ushered Christine into the O.R., Spike could feel the tension mounting. He was about to experience the one thing that had alluded him his whole unlife: the feeling of life. He looked down at Christine as a thin sheen of sweat beaded down her hair line, the doctor and nurses were scrambling around, and Spike took an unneeded breath and wiped her brow with a cloth.

He smiled.

"What's... so... amusing?" Christine gasped between breaths.

"A vampire is helping a human deliver a baby!"

"It is kind of funny," she chuckled breathily before her face twisted in agony. She squeezed his hand with almost demon like strength.

Spike struggled not to cringe as he felt the cartilage in hand shift, as she squeezed and screamed a string of obscenities cursing men and sex. "What did I tell you? Ripley... Aliens!" Spike smirked as she let go of his throbbing hand.

"Oh shut up Spike." Christine laughed shakily then looked at his hand, "Sorry."

"S'ok luv, I was expecting much worse language to tell you the truth."

She started to laugh again but her face suddenly fell as she began to cry. He was taken back by her sudden mood change, "I don't think I can do this Spike."

"It's a little late for that talk ain't it pet?" He kissed her forehead gently. "You can do this, and you will. It's gonna be ok luv. The doctors will knock you out and you'll wake up with your stomach all flat again, and a screaming little bundle in your arms."

This only made her cry harder, she only stopped when a contraction ripped through her body.

"Spike? When I asked you all those months ago if you would you help me raise my baby, I really didn't mean it." Christine sighed as the contraction pain subsided.

"What?" He felt as if he was kicked in the stomach. The thought of her telling him to leave seemed to actually hurt him.

"I really meant would YOU raise her for me."

"For you?"

"Spike look around you. I know that you've watched every Learning Channel pregnancy show in the last three months and you must know that all this equipment they have me on isn't normal."

One of the nurses stopped and glanced at the young couple, feeling like she was intruding, she quietly walked out of the room.

"I don't . . ." Spike started but the squeezing of his hand and her yelling in pain stopped him as another contraction racked her body. The nurse brought in the doctor.

"You must be the father?" The doctor asked quizzically.

Christine looked at Spike, "Yes." He answered.

Her body relaxed from the pain.

"Mr. . . ." The doctor began.

"Kesston, call me William."

"Fine, William. Can I talk to you outside?"

Spike followed, but gave Christine a wary look, and she smiled slightly as another man stepped into the room with a cart of medical tools.

As soon as the door swung closed the doctor began, "William. Christine, asked me to explain exactly what is going to happen to her after the baby is born. She told me that giving you a technical explanation should be best."

Spike waited for the doctor who cleared his throat and began.

* * *

Spike felt overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information he was given in about five minutes. He was told that Christine would die as a result of the childbirth due to a genetic trait that ran in her family; that after giving birth, her blood would not clot, therefore, essentially, she would bleed to death. 

"So there's nothing you can do?"

"There are procedures but she has asked not to be put on them."

"What are they?"

There's is one that is experimental, and she might in the hospital for weeks if not months and she still might eventually die. We would have to pump her blood in and out of her and then add in enzymes that can clot blood, but it could take long and it is painful. There would have to be two tubes on either side of her neck . . ." 

"Never mind. I understand why she doesn't want to." The first thing that came to his mind was turning her, but it would be hard to do with doctors and nurses in the room.

Nina, Marcus and her twin sister Michelle walked into the waiting room with flowers and two teddy bears. "We couldn't decide! Marcus says this one looks manly and the other is too girlish." She held up the soft brown bear in one hand and a pink fluffy bear in the other, "and let's not even get started on the fight that me and my sis had in the flower shop...." The look on Spike's face stopped her. "What's going on?"

"William, I should go back in there, but if you want to take a moment to tell your friends?" The doctor nodded his head and went back in the OR.

The vampire turned to Nina and told her everything that the doctor had told him.

* * *

Spike held Christine's hand the whole birth. 

"It's a girl!" The doctor exclaimed, as a nurse quickly took the baby, cleaned the airway and wiped her off quickly.

"I know, I felt it. I just knew." Christine murmured as she stretched out her arms to hold her baby for the first and the last time. She looked at Spike and then at the little girl. "I want to name her Niya." The new mother kissed her daughter on the forehead.

Christine's face began to turn a pale blue as the blood drained from her body. She handed Spike the baby, "Here's your daddy." She whispered. "Always be good to him. You gotta take care of him." Christine stroked her face.

Spike looked down at the bundle in his arms and felt a wetness on his face. A drop of water fell on his hand as held Niya. Spike stroked Christine's hair away from her face, as her body grew cold. The nurses stood silent and the doctor turned his back to the couple.

"She's special Spike. Don't let anything happen to her." Christine warned weakly.

"Shhh, she'll be fine, Chris. I'll take care of her. I promise." 

"Spike in my bag there's a package for you." Her eyes glossed over and he saw a look that he had seen too often, a look he had been the cause of too often. "I trust you. For these last months you have been my only family. I'm going to miss you both." she squeezed Spike's hand gently and then touched Niya one last time, "I love you." 

Those were Christine's last words.

Spike stayed silent. Something about Christine touched him more then any human ever had, it was almost as if he was meant to meet her and be a part of her life. The tiny bundle in his arms squirmed, and he looked from her face to Christine's. The newborn was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. "Niya, this lady here is your mum. One of the strongest and toughest women I have ever known. She saved my butt, and she fought..." He looked up as a nurse watched she quickly averted her eyes, "and she fought vampires." He whispered. Niya yawned, "She was one of the bravest women I have ever known. She sacrificed everything for you, and then she gave you to me."

The reality of his words hit him, he was responsible for this tiny little thing.

An orderly walked up with a blanket, "Sir I..." A low grumble from the back of Spike's throat stopped the man in mid stride, "Sorry, I'll be back in a few." He said apologetically.

"I'll never let you forget how brave she was." He could feel the tears in his eyes but refused to let them fall. "I'll never let you forget her." The baby was fast asleep in his arms. He turned to see the nurse with tears streaming down her face, she wiped them quickly and took Niya from Spike.

The orderly came back in the O.R. avoiding any eye contact and covered Christine with a blanket and Spike bolted from the room. 

* * *

Spike reached the restroom and put his fist into the stall door denting it. He couldn't believe that he had spent eight months with Christine and she never told him, he couldn't believe she never once mentioned it. Spike, rinsed the blood for his hands the warms water cleaned the neat slicing on his knuckles. He splashed water on his face. _ Humans always got to be so self sacrificing_, he thought as he left the bathroom.

In the waiting room, Marcus comforted Nina and Michelle. Once Nina saw Spike she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. She finally released him, and stared into his eyes.

"You better take care of that little girl or I'll hunt you down and stake you proper." Spike looked at her shocked. "She told me. She thinks that you are meant to raise her baby. That you were brought together for a reason. So don't make anyone regret it." Nina squeezed his hand gently and then turned to kiss Marcus and left.

"You sticking around?" Spike asked. He felt drained. All of a sudden he was Mr. Responsibility. _ This what the poofter must feel like._

"Think we should deal with this the way men have dealt with everything in their life..." Marcus began.

"With a drink." Spike finished.

With a glum nod the two walked toward the elevator.

* * * 

** Part 22**

Nina walked into the elevator to Christine's old building. Getting Christine's old apartment was weird. When She opened the elevator door, five people were standing at her door. Four men and a woman.

"Can I help you with something?" Nina asked as she approached the apartment cautiously.

"Yes the young woman that lives here, Christine Campari. . ."

"She's dead." Nina replied a matter-of-factly to the British man. "Who are you?"

"But she was pregnant. And the baby?" Asked the female.

"Dead too." Nina answered.

"That can't be?" An eastern Asian man stated with a refined British accent.

"Why not?" Nina asked.

"I think that we will be going?" The eldest man said hearing the suspicion in the young woman's voice. They walked past Nina toward the elevator.

"Wait, are you family?" Nina asked, knowing that they weren't but she wanted to find out more about these people.

"Yes." The another man with glasses man answered.

"From Wales right?"

"Yes." He replied, shuffling his hand in his pocket. A slip of white paper slipped out unbeknownst to him.

"Well if you have any questions I am sure her lawyer could answer them for you." Nina replied.

"How did she die?" The blond woman asked.

"During childbirth." Nina said swallowing hard, trying to fight back the tears that sprang to her eyes. It had been a month since Christine's death and when she visited Spike and Niya it seemed as if she saw Christine's soul in the two of them. Nina looked at the strangers in front of her. She didn't trust them and they would probably follow her believing that Niya was alive.

"We're sorry. We will leave you alone now." They all turned toward the elevator. Nina quickly snatched the paper up before someone could see her. She quickly turned the key in the lock and dropped her bag on the foyer floor. She opened the piece of paper and ran to the phone.

"Nina? What is it?" Spike answered, knowing it was Nina she was the only one with the number to the new apartment.

"Some people were here looking for Chris and the baby. Spike you have to leave, now. A piece of paper fell from one of their pockets and it had your address on it. They were all British and in tweed and brown suits. They are probably going to your place next."

"Nina, thanks."

"Spike wherever you go, please keep in touch, and if you or Niya need me please call." Nina pleaded on the phone.

"Don't worry Nina she'll be fine. I'll take really good care of her."

Nina felt the tears roll down her cheek, this was probably the last time she would ever hear from Spike.

"If you ever need me Nina. That place that Christine told you about. The people she told you about. You can trust them." Were the last words Spike said as he hung up the phone.

* * * 

Spike packed everything he could within the hour, then headed for the underground parking garage. Niya was a good baby, she rarely cried. Partly because of Spike's vampire hearing and smell, he could usually tell when she was wet or hungry. 

There was one day when he was running to the phone, and he tripped over one of Niya's rattles and fell with a thud in front of the baby. Niya laughed with drool running down her chin, and he hadn't even noticed that he'd vamped out in front of her. As soon as he controlled the demon she stopped laughing, then he let the demon out intentionally and she began laughing again. That was one month ago, and now, in another twenty minutes when the sun set, he was leaving with his daughter. As soon as he felt the sun go down he started driving, toward the border. Where he was going he didn't know, but leaving was the best solution.

* * *

** Part 23**

Buffy walked around the U.C. Sunnydale campus, her arm in a sling. A week after her encounter with Sunday, her shoulder still throbbed in pain. Especially when she had slayed eight vampires last night.. and five the day before and six the day before that. She need to give her arm time to rest.

Buffy reached the cafeteria and took up some lunch.

"Need some help?" Riley asked Buffy shyly.

"Just a little." Buffy answered. Riley held her tray and they walked over to a an empty table. Parker walked into the hall and waved at Buffy. She waved back and Riley slunk back in his chair as Parker approached.

"Hey Buffy! Riley." Parker sat on the other side of Buffy.

"Buffy? You go here? That's so cool!" Tasha smiled at Buffy and then Riley. Then her gaze fell on Parker. "Parker, what freshman are you tryin' to bag and tag this year?"

Buffy looked at Tasha and then Parker whose face had gone pale. A tall handsome looking guy slid his hands around Tasha's waist and kissed her on the cheek. "Hey hunny!" Tasha didn't break her gaze with Parker, and Riley couldn't contain the smile anymore, he admired Tasha, she kept everyone in line. "Parker why don't go find someone else to victimize, 'cause there's no one here." 

Parker looked at Buffy for some help, but Tasha wasn't finished. "Hey is that Patricia Darby over there? I remember her, don't you?"

Riley snickered as Buffy took in the exchange.

"Ohh wait! There's Joannie Mckay! She would love to say hi to you.. and a couple of other words. Hey Joannie!" Tasha yelled across the room. Parker got up quickly and left the table without a word. Tasha sat down where Parker once was and leaned over to Buffy, "I figured I owed you after that time you saved my life from that guy last year." She whispered to Buffy.

"Buffy, this is my friend Forrest, and I guess you know Tasha already." Riley introduced Forrest. Riley's and Forrest's pagers went off simultaneously, and they quickly excused themselves.

"What's that all about?" Buffy asked.

"What the beepers or Parker?" Tasha asked.

"Both."

"Well, they both work on some extra credit project with Professor Walsh and when she calls they run, and Parker is the Senior stud around here. He tries to bed the hottest freshman's at the beginning of the year, and then treats her like utter crap after he has sex with them. Joannie went damn near psycho on him last year, but he didn't learn his lesson."

"Really?" Buffy felt relieved that Tasha had steered her clear of him. "Thanks."

"No probs. After you saved my butt I owe you."

"So what's the deal with you and Forrest?"

We're friends." A slow smile crept on her face

"Friends?"

"Well, Forrest is good for two things.. and I will never tell you what they are." Tasha got up abruptly and said, "I see your friend Willow coming so I'm going to go back to my table. See you around. Hey, if you're going to hook up with any one around here, Riley is really sweet and you need to see him play basketball shirtless." Buffy smiled and Tasha giggled and went back to her friends

"Hey Willow, hey Oz." 

"Hey Buffy. Was that Tasha?" Oz asked. Willow gave Buffy a big hug.

"Yup, and she was telling me about the poophead that is Parker Abrams."

"Oohh dish." Willow smiled.

* * *

** Part 24**

The adventures of Spike and Niya began when they reached Tacoma, Washington. Spike did most of his grocery shopping for Niya, and then usually ate one of the unfortunate girls who thought that a doting father and his infant baby were the cutest things in the world. Spike still fed but he never killed any of the people that he fed from. 

After Tacoma they went to Portland, Oregon and then he finally settled on a place: Crescent City, California. It had already been near two months since they'd left Vancouver, and now Niya the once not fussy baby would scream and wail for hours

He needed this to stop. He tried everything, he read all the books and finally he realized that she was teething. He bought all the baby stuff she needed, Ambesol and all the rest of it but she continuously cried, driving Spike up the wall, "She's going to make me as batty as Dru."

Finally Spike made the toughest decision he would have to make. There was only one person that would know about this that he could trust. As soon as sunset he drove for the next ten hours straight until the sun threatened to burn him alive. Niya had been quiet the whole trip. _ What a_ _ little brandy in her milk could do_, Spike thought. They reached San Luis Obispo and they were about three and half hours from L.A. Spike and Niya slept the whole day away with a couple of scheduled feeding for both before their next little adventure to Sunnydale, California.

* * * 

** Part 25**

After Willow settled into their room and left a couple of hours later with Oz to go to the frat party, Buffy sat alone reading a magazine. It was too early to go slaying, it was only ten after ten. So she decided to call her mom and tell her about her horrendous first days of University life.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom!"

"Oh Buffy it's so good to hear from you."

"Don't worry mom when I bring my laundry next weekend it'll be a different story." Both Summer's women giggled and Buffy told her about her battles with Sunday and Kathy.

"I hope that you're being careful, Buffy."

*Ding Dong.*

"Who can it be at this time of night?" Joyce asked.

"Mom do you have the supersoaker full of holy water by the door, and a stake?" Buffy asked

"Of course hunny."

Joyce opened the door slowly to see a familiar face standing in front of the door. "Spike?" Joyce looked from Spike to the squirming bundle in his arms.

"Hello Joyce." Spike smiled slightly

* * *

Buffy gasped in utter terror as she heard the familiar accented voice on the other end. Then the line went dead. Buffy screamed into the phone without even thinking the slayer grabbed a stake and ran out the door.

* * *

"Buffy? Buffy?" Joyce called into the phone. "I think the battery went dead." Joyce hung up the phone. "You have a baby?" Joyce looked at the little green eyed girl, "Can I hold her?"

"Of course Joyce. Her name is Niya."

"She's gorgeous." The baby cooed in her arms. "You had a baby. with Drusilla?" Joyce asked sceptically.

"Actually, it's a long story." Smiled looking at Niya smiling as she held onto Joyce's index finger.

"Well I love long stories." Joyce said walking into the living room with Niya.

* * *

Buffy ran for miles without feeling tired. All she knew was that her mother was danger and that Spike was going to die if anything happened to her mother. Tears filled her eyes as her feet pressed on. Her feet seemed to move in slow motion as she ran up the street and when she saw his DeSoto in the driveway, her feet seemed to get even slower.

Buffy burst through the door to hear Spike's voice. He stood over her mother's shoulder as she sat motionless in the chair.

"Now she'll get everything that she deserves." 

"You're finally going get what YOU deserve."

Before Spike could even turn around he was kicked viciously in the back. Spike game face immediately emerged. Buffy pulled out her stake.

Joyce stood up abruptly, "Buffy what are you doing?"

The Slayer stopped mid-stride when she heard a gurgling sound. She looked at her mother who was holding a smiling baby who was looking at Spike. Buffy looked from the baby, to Spike, to her mother. 

"Are you ok, mom?"

"Of course I am honey. Why wouldn't I be?" Joyce answered as if Buffy's question was utterly ridiculous.

"Because Spike's a vampire?" Buffy replied dumbfounded at her mother's reaction. Joyce stepped toward Spike and handed him the baby, who kicked her feet in excitement. Spike's demon face receded and baby grabbed onto his index finger.

"What the HELL is going on here?" Buffy asked looking confused. Spike sat down on the Summer's couch and played with the little baby.

"Niya this is Buffy. Say hi!." Spike laid down the baby on the couch she looked up at Buffy and laughed.

"Hi Niya." Buffy said kneeling down next to the couch. "Who's baby is this?"

"This is my daughter Buffy."

She looked at him like he was crazy, "Are you deranged? You stole someone's child? I'm so gonna stake you."

"Spike, I'll get the spare room ready for you and Niya." Joyce said walking up the stairs, ignoring her daughter's ranting.

"WHAT? HAS EVERYONE GONE CRAZY?" Buffy practically screamed which made Niya cry. 

Spike gave Buffy a stern look, picked up the baby and flashed her his game face which immediately started her giggling again and kicking her little feet. Buffy shook her head, "Ok that's sick.. and you are so not staying here." She said, running up the stairs after her mother.

* * * 

"Spike and the baby need some place to stay, and I thought he could stay here. At least until he finds a place of his own."

"Mom he's a killer. He can't stay here with you. Besides that's not his baby. Vampires can't have kids so he had to take her. Who would give their child to Spike voluntarily?"

Joyce began to spread out new sheets on the bed.

"He has a baby Buffy. A human baby, and he's taking care of her, and I'm going to help him." Joyce said sternly. Buffy looked at her mother like she had grown a third head. "There are people who are looking for the baby and her mother is dead. He promised to take care of her."

"Are you sure he didn't kill her?"

"Of course he didn't."

Buffy's look of utter disbelief made Joyce roll her eyes.

"And yes I do believe him." Joyce finished. "And that's the end of the discussion."

Buffy shook her head, "Fine but I am not leaving this house." The Slayer went down the stairs quietly when she heard singing. The baby was sleeping in his arms and Spike was singing to her a song Buffy didn't recognize it but it was beautiful nonetheless.

_ All I have and all I do_

Cannot compare to the love of you

You make me feel alive

You are my highest high

All I can do is smile

When I look in my little girls eyes

You're my star and when I'm far

You're not alone, cause your heart's my home

You are my biggest prize

So beautiful and so wise

All I can do is smile

When I look in my little girls eyes

You make me feel alive

You are my highest high

All I can do is smile

When I look in my little girls eyes

"It never ceases to amaze me! The strange things that happen on the Hellmouth." Buffy sighed to herself.

* * *

TBC....

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	6. Chapter 6 021802

** CHAPTER 6**

Part 26

Buffy had stayed home that night to keep an eye on Spike and what she saw was remarkable. He had a cooler with blood and one with baby food. He told Buffy and Joyce that he hadn't killed the baby's mother. He told the Slayer about Christine and her death. Buffy was sceptical, but the emotions in his voice and the shadows that flit across his face as he quietly recounted the past months bore quiet testament to his love for the baby's mother. Spike remained insistent that there was nothing romantic between them, but it was plain that something about Christine has struck a chord in him. And when she died, Niya had taken over her mother's place in his heart. 

  
The next morning, Buffy headed over to Giles' apartment to let him know that Spike was back in town. Her steps were hurried as she realised the time – she had to get to campus soon, she couldn't be late for Professor Walsh's class. Buffy stopped outside Giles' door taking a deep breath and then let herself into his apartment. Telling Giles and the rest of the gang was not going to be easy. 

She walked in to find the floor covered with books and papers_ ._ Giles appeared from the kitchen, "Buffy, I'm surprised to see you. Is everything all right?" 

"Hi Giles.... well uhmmm. Giles I have something . . ."

The phone rang, "Excuse me a moment please. I've been waiting for this call Buffy." The Ex-Watcher grabbed it, "Hello."

"Ahh yes Reese . . . They thought they found her but . . . What the child is gone? . . ."

Buffy's ears perked up as she tried to absorb ever detail.

"But the prophecy says what? . . . So why does the _ C_ouncil want . . . ? Him?" Giles turned to look at Buffy and the walked to the other side of the living room talking in a quieter voice. 

"But the curse . . ."

Now she wanted to rip the phone from his ears to find out exactly what was going on. _ Why the hell is Giles talking to the Council?_ She looked at her watch knowing that she was going to have to leave _ soon_. She turned to see _ that _Giles had a suitcase by the door and his passport and what looked to be a plane ticket were on his desk. 

In the background, Giles' voice suddenly lowered and his tone became extremely guarded.Buffy slowly opened the ticket cover to see it was for a trip to Lordsburg, New Mexico dated for tomorrow.

"Giles_ ,_ I have to..."

"Can you hold a minute_ ,_ Reese_ ?_ Please Buffy_ ,_ just _ one_ minute." 

Giles turned back, resuming his call. "Well maybe he's not the one . . . I know, but who else . . . what does the rest of it say? . . . Ruined? . . . ."

Buffy sighed looking at her watch again, then silently left_ ._ _ S_he couldn't be late and she had no clue how long Giles would be absorbed in his conversation.

_ "_So you don't know where she is? . . . Well thank you for keeping me informed_ ,_ Reese. . . Will you contact Wesley? . . . Fired? . . . Oh good heaven's_ ._ _ W_ell should he come here I'll tell him. Goodbye Reese." Giles hung up the phone.

"You wanted to tell me something Buffy?" Giles turned to her but she was gone and he frowned_ ,_ troubled by her actions_ . _Although concerned for his Slayer, the conversation with Reese was foremost in his mind and Giles' brow creased as he tried to recall whether he had a copy of the Book of Ushcamn. Maybe it would provide more insight intothe prophecy.

* * *

** Part 27**

When Buffy got home from patrolling Willow wasn't in their room_ ._ She must be at Oz's. Buffy walked over to the blinking answering machine and listened _ to _the one message on it.

"Hello Buffy, it's Giles. I am going on a trip for a couple of days. I'll call you as soon as I get back. Take care." 

"Well I guess whatever is in Lordsburg is important." Buffy picked up the phone and called home.

"Hello." A strong accented voice answered the phone.

"What are you doing answering my phone, Spike?"

"Your mum is in the shower and Niya's sleeping_ . D_idn't want the ring to wake her. What do you want?"

"I want to make sure that you haven't made a 'Happy Meal' out of my mother yet." Buffy scoffed. "Unlike her, I don't know if I totally believe your story_ ,_" _ t_he Slayer lied.

"Oh give me a break. You'd check up on me even after everything I told you." 

If Buffy didn't know better she would have sworn that there was some hurt in his voice, "Sorry it's hard to trust a demon that haslied to me and tried to kill me."

"I'll never win with you. No big surprise there. You coming back here tonight?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason. I think your mum liked having you around."

"She was more interested in Niya."

Spike could tell the slit twinge of jealousy in her edge her statement, "Look pet_ ,_ why don't..."

"Spike I'm tired and I really don't feel like having a squabble with you. Just tell my mom that I called." Buffy hung up the phone abruptly.

* * *

The next morning Buffy entered her kitchen to see it transformed_ . _One of the island stools had been replaced with a high chair and the usual toaster, electric can opener, and spice rack had been replaced with bottle warmers and containers of Similac. 

She opened the fridge to get some juice. Itwas buried behind Gerber's baby food and packets of blood. 

"Okay, this is just to weird for words."

* * *

"Despite everything that I have learned about vampires over the last year_ ,_ you always seem to surprise me." Joyce smiled as she walked in on Spike making aface as he held a dirty diaper as if is was toxic waste and dumped it into the garbage.

"Morning Joyce, pass me the powder." Spike smiled, "I bet Angel surprised you too."

"Oh let's not compare you to Angel." Joyce huffed, " You two are not even on the same level."

"Do go on Joyce. I kn_ e_w you were a smart lady." Spike smiled as he sprinkled powder on Niya.

"I mean when you and I talked about Dru, I could tell how much you loved her. I wanted to tell you something that night, but with Angel and then Buffy interrupting, I didn't have a chance."

"What was it?" Spike asked as he brushed his brow before fastening the diaper on the infant.

"Well I always thought during our talk that you seemed to mention Buffy a lot." 

Joyce cleared her throat, "And I was wondering if Dru maybe sensed something since she is kind of clairvoyant." Her words were both a hesitant statement and a tentative question. 

She watched as Spike's body stiffened, but he quickly regain his nonchalant stance as he picked up Niya and turned around. Joyce couldn't help but laugh at the baby powder marking his brow, nose and cheek.

"What's so funny?"

"I think you should wipe your face."

"Why?" 

"It's rather difficult trying to have a serious conversation with you having powder all over your face."

Spike took this opportunity to escape from what promised to be an uncomfortable conversation.Spike handed Niya _ to Joyce_, "I should go _ then_ and have a shower. _ Y_ou don't mind do you? Taking care of her I mean."

"Of course not. It would be my pleasure." Joyce stated happily, knowing that there would be other opportunities to pursue continue her queries.

* * *

As Joyce walked down the stairs with Niya, Buffy slid noiselessly from the kitchen to the living room. Giving into a compulsion she did not understand, she pulled back into the shadows, hidden from her mother but close enough to hear Joyce's soft murmurings to the child. She watched as her mother set Niya in the high chair and retrieve a bottle of baby food from the fridge. 

Joyce got Niya's bib and placed a bottle in the warmer. The Slayer smiled as her mother tried to feed the little girl the strained food. "Come on open up for _ G_randma Joyce."

The loving words piercedBuffy like a stake in the chest. Grandma Joyce. The Slayer suddenly understood why Joyce was so adamant about having Spike stay_ ._ She could have the one thing that Buffy would probably never live long enough to give her, a grandchild.Tears sprang to her eyes as she saw the look of happiness on her mother's face asshe fedthe gurglingbaby. 

Buffyquickly blinked back the tears and stepped into the kitchen.

"Heya mom!"

"Buffy? Not that I am not happy to see you, sweetie,buthow come you are here?"

"I came to see how you were doing with Spike and Niya."

"We're fine honey." Joyce smiled, "Lookie who's here_ . I_t's Buffy." Joyce wiped off Niya's mouth and chin and took off the bib. Niya flailed her arms smiling as she saw Buffy. "Can you burp her honey?"

"Huh? I dunno how to do that." A look of fear crossed the Slayer's face. 

"Just hold her upright over your shoulder and pat her back a little." Buffy did as her mother instructed and within moments the little girl let out a surprisingly lusty burp_ ,_ spitting up some of her strained bananas over Buffy's shoulder. Cringing, the Slayer quickly handed the baby back to Joyce. 

"I think I gotta change." Before Joyce could even warn Buffy she dashed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

* * *

Buffy reached the top of the stairs to see Spike with a towel wrapped around his waist and rubbing another towel through his hair, not noticing Buffy as he walked into the spare room. _ Ok this is way too wrong for words_, Buffy thought as she dashed in her room to avoid an awkward situation.

She reached her room to find a box of her baby clothes and blankets sitting on the bed. Buffy sighed as she took out a shirt and changed quickly. Then she looked on her bed and noticed that Mr. Gordo was gone. _ Now that was the bottom line. Mr. Gordo is off limits_.

Buffy stormed into the spare room to see the last second of Spike pulling up his jeans over his butt.

"ACK!"

Spike jumped turning around. He smiled as he saw the Slayer's hand fly up to cover her eyes.

"Put on some clothes for christsakes." Buffy squeaked.

"Hey_ ,_ you busted in on me." Spike huffed zipping up his jeans. "You can uncover your tender eyes now Slayer." Buffy heard the muffled voice as he put on a T-shirt. "What do you want?"

Buffy, finally opened her eyes, "I want Mr. Gordo back."

"Mr. who?"

"A little stuffed piggy that was taken from my room." Buffy huffed impatiently.

"Oh the tattered old thing. Your mum gave it to Niya the night you left to go back to school cause she couldn't sleep. If you want it back_ ,_ take it." Spike searched the room and found Mr. Gordo in Niya's crib. 

"Here!" He handed her the stuffed animal, "Happy now_ ?_ I wouldn't want you to be alone on a cold night and not have your piggy_ . _You should sleep fine tonight half way across town but a little green eyed girl will be crying because you aren't here and there is nothing here to remind her of you."

Buffy took a deep breath and suddenly realized that Spike was making her feel guilty. She let go an infuriated growl and placed Mr. Gordo back in the crib and stormed out of the room.

Spike laughed, "Now I need to work that parental magic on Niya when she gets older. Guilt is a wonderful thing." He chuckled as before he went downstairs.

* * * 

** Part 28**

Buffy reached her dorm after slaying and was dead tired and still feeling slightly guilty about trying to get Mr. Gordo back. She pulled off her boots and her jacket. She didn't even bother to change into her nightclothes. Jeans and a halter-top would have to do for nightclothes.

* * *

"B, you all right? You don't look so hot." Faith looked at Buffy with concern.

"Yeah girl. _ Y_a look pale." Kendra quipped in as he walked toward Buffy.

Buffy looked at the other Slayers. "Where are we_ ?_" Buffy looked at the desert. The surrounded them for miles.

"We are where we always are_ ._" Kendra whispered.

"Alone." Faith added stepping forward.

"I don't get it." Buffy said, questioningly.

"B, you've been charmed. You have been given all the chances that no other Slayer has ever gotten or will ever get." The dark haired Slayer started.

"You must do what is right for her." Kendra continued, "You will raise our sister." Kendra pointed to a figure standing beside Buffy.

Buffy turned to she a beautiful girl standing before her with green eyes and long silky black hair. She looked about sixteen and she smiled at Buffy. Buffy instantly knew who she was, "Niya?"

"Yeah, Mom." 

Buffy stepped back from the figure, and felt like she was falling.

* * *

"Buffy?" Willow said groggily as she looked at her best friend lying on the floor beside her bed, "Did you fall off your bed?"

"Go back to sleep Willow." Buffy grabbed her head, she could feel the bump already forming and it was going to be an ugly one. Buffy looked at the clock, which glowed, 5:58am, Buffy decided to go and check on Niya. She wasn't going back to sleep after that dream.

* * *

Giles read the book he had gone through great lengths to get in Lordsburg, he had spent nearly two weeks trying to get the Parham Scripture. The Codex was in unbelievably great shape considering the Wargot Troll he bought it from had used itas a coaster. He pored over each page until finally reaching the passage that Reese had conveniently left out of their conversations.

_ "The strongest Slayer ever to live will be born of the land of mountains, in the eighth space before the mille anni . The people who will love her and raise her will be mortal enemies, her mother a Slayer. She will repeat her parents' triumph and halt the apocalypse. She will cure the first plague. Slayers past and future will journey by her side, yet She will outlast them all. She will survive against all odds, bringing absolute destruction to evil until her death. Her weakness will kill her: a love for a vampire with a heart, her father." _

Niya, The Vampire Slayer.

"The mother would have to be Buffy? But the vampire, who could he be? But if the Council has already checked out Angel and he doesn't have the child then who does." Giles thought out loud then yawned. He couldn't wait to reach Sunnydale, he definitely needed to talk to Buffy. He looked at his watch, "Over an hour left in the flight." He continued to read, hoping to find out more details.

* * *

** Part 29**

Buffy was walking toward her home as the sun rose, when she ran into Riley out for an early morning jog.

A grin breaking across his face, Riley halted beside her. "Hey Buffy. What you doing up so early? Whoa_ ,_ that's a nasty looking bump." Riley reachedout to touch her forehead. 

Buffy flinched as he touched her, "You should go to a doctor."

"It'll be fine. I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk."

"Anywhere in particular?"

"Yeah, my house." 

"You need company." He offered eagerly_ ._

"Not really Riley_ ,_ but I'll see you in class. Thanks anyway." Riley frowned as Buffy turned away, continuing towards Revello Drive.

* * *

Niya was screaming atthe top of her lungs when Buffy reached the house. Spike was trying – with a spectacular lack of success from Buffy's viewpoint – to put a swab into the baby's mouth. 

"Joyce_ ,_ this stuff is not working." Spike bellowed frustrated, "And she's driving me crazy with this racket."

Niya stopped crying as if registering his words. Spike sighed in relief until her little face crinkled_ ,_ turning bright red and then the wailing began. Spike brought an imaginary stake to his heart, and said "POOF."

"I could help you with that." Buffy said, as she stood behind Spike. He turned to see the Slayer looking not that much older than Niya in a oversized sweet shirt, slim fitting blue jeans, and Nike running shoes. 

"What the bloody hell happened to you_ ?_" He asked over Niya, "Vampire?"

Buffy looked confused for a moment, "Oh, the forehead, courtesy of bedroom floor and a dream."

Niya began crying even harder. "Do something womanly. Make her stop." Spike pleaded_ , _thrusting the baby into Buffy's hands.

"What? I don't know anything about kids." Buffy said, looking askance at the red-faced baby. Mindful of her last encounter with Niya, she held the baby at arm's length as she asked Spike, "Why is she crying?"

"Teething. Poor thing." Spike said as Buffy stepped forward pushing the baby back into his reluctant arms. "I've got to get this bloody stuff in her mouth."

"I'll help. Just let me go wash my hands." Buffy dashed into the kitchen and washed her hands and then looked at her reflection in the glass window. "Yeah mom." 

Her dreams flooded back into her mind. _ She's mine_, Buffy thought. _ But Spike? As a father? Could that be anymore disgusting? I mean a blood sucking fiend and an infant. Lot's of logic there. _The Slayer sighed as she walked into the living room, crossing to the couch, just as Joyce came down the stairs. Spike handed Niya to Buffy. With the baby snug in Buffy's arms, Spike gingerly manoeuvred the Ambesol-coated swab onto Niya's inflamed gums. As relief spread across the tiny face, Buffy waved a teething ring playfully in front of Niya who grabbed it with a gurgle and began gnawing earnestly. 

* * *

Joyce watched from her perch at the bottom of the stairs as the little girl lay contentedly in Buffy's arms_ . _Grabbing onto the end of the teething ring, Niya pulled it out of her mouth and gave Buffy a toothless smile_ . _Joyce smiled ather daughter's startled reaction, a look of surprise and happiness. Before eitherSummers women even knew what happened, Niya was asleep in Buffy's arms. Spike wet a cloth and wiped Niya's tearstained face. Joyce turned back up the stairs, leaving the trio alone.

* * *

Buffy looked up at Spike as he tenderlywiped the little girl_ '_s face. Feeling her gazeon him_ , _he looked up at her_ ,_ their eyes locking.

"Why?"

"Why what, Slayer?" Spike asked confused.

"Why you? Why a baby? Why British Columbia? Why Sunnydale? Again?" She had lots more questions to ask but for now these required lengthy enough answers.

"Ok let's see if I get these all. I have no clue. I have no clue again. I was just passing through. Because your mum is here and I figured that she would know what to do. As for the 'Again' I dunno I guess like Sunnyhell. Why are asking me all this now. I mean it's been a month since I've been here."

"I dunno there was just never a good time. Ok round two." Buffy began to walk into the living room, shaking Niya gently in her arms. "Why would she ever pick you? And are you sure that this Jacob guy is dead? I know you said it was platonic but I dunno leaving a baby to a virtual stranger it seemsI dunno** weird** for lack of a better word. And you never REALLY explained why you left Vancouver to come here, even it was for my mom's help_ ._"

"Here we go again." He sighed, "I have no clue. She had no family and she trusted me." The look Buffy gave him stopped him cold. "She trusted me." His voice finalized any line of questioning around Christine's intentions. "Jacob is dust."

"Hey us Slayers have a saying. Unless you see them go poof! They aren't poof!"

"Us, Slayers?" Spike scoffed

"Well we need a new logo."

Spike raised his scared eyebrow. "I left Vancouver cause some guys came looking for Niya and Christine. Her friend tipped me off and I left. Plus some guy spooked Chris after a doctor's appointment asking her a bunch of questions andbasically trying to pump her for information. So_ ,_ when Nina told me about the blokes at the old apartment_ ,_ I left."

"Did she ever tell you what they looked like? Sounded like?"

"Nope and I wasn't asking." Spike felt like changing the subject, "I should put Niya to bed."

Buffy pulled away from Spike as he reached for his daughter. "I can do it."

"This from a girl who less then ten minutes ago was complaining that she knew nothing about kids. I'm coming with you." Spike followed Buffy up the stairs smiling_ ._ _ Something about Buffy and Niya seemed right, like they were almost connected, _he thought.

* * *

** Part 30**

"Where did you go all day?" Willow asked Buffy as she walked in the door of there room.

"Home."

"You've been going there a lot Buffy, every weekend for the last month. Something wrong with your mom? Or are you just home sick?"

"No. It's just . . ." Buffy sighed deeply bracing herself as he mentally prepared to tell Willow. "Spike is living with my mom."

"** What**?" Willow jumped off of her bed instantly. "Buffy, what's going on?"

"Spike has a baby." Buffy revealed_ ._

Willow sat back down instantly, stunned, "Uhhh vampire? Kind of impossible . . . isn't it?"

"Well let me tell you the whole story Wil. It's a long one."

* * *

TBC..

For updates on TBS join ** http://groups.yahoo.com/group/strictlyfic/**

NOTE: I have got a new beta Wyrdin and she's a great help, thanks so much for taking over. This chapter is dedicated to my old beta Esme, have fun with with your new little one and don't be a stranger.


	7. Chapter 7 080302

** TAKEN BY SURPRISE ~ CHAPTER 7**

** Part 31**

"Wow! That is unbelievable Buffy!" Willow was in complete awe as Buffy retold the tale of Spike and Niya.

"I know it's kind of weird even for a Hellmouth story, huh?" The Slayer laughed.

"So, what did Giles say when you told him?"

Buffy sipped on her cherry coke and looked around the room.

"You did tell him, didn't you?"

Buffy took another sip.

"My God, Buffy, something like this you can't keep from him. He's your Watcher. Well, he was your watcher," Willow stated the obvious.

"I know, Wils, but it's not exactly a topic that you can spring in between the 'Hi, how are you, Giles? I'm fine.' What am I supposed to say? 'Oh, by the way, Spike is living at my house and taking care of a baby.' " Buffy mocked.

"Ok, I see your meaning, but I think that you should tell him."

"I will. It's just timing."

"Why not tonight after you patrol?"

"Well, Giles won't be back in town until Friday, so I have till then to conjure up the nerve."

"Now tell me the story about Niya spitting up all over his duster again. That was hilarious," Willow said, getting more comfortable on her bed. The blonde giggled as she started.

* * *

Giles waited for Buffy to stop by after she finished patrolling. He had made a point of calling her as soon he arrived home. He needed to talk to her about this prophecy. As soon as Buffy walked through the door he began.

"Buffy,there's something that I must discuss with you. It is of the utmost importance."

Buffy sighed heavily, thinking, _ Just when I'm going to tell him about Niya, he's going to lay on some heavy trip about some new big bad._ _ God, it was hard enough telling Willow. It's going to be murder telling Giles._

"The Council, as you know, has been in frequent contact with me regarding a prophecy. The Prophecy of Ushman," Giles began. He took a deep dramatic sigh.

"Oh bloody hell, Giles, spit it out. I have something to tell you. I would like to before the turn of the millennium," Buffy hurried her ex-watcher.

"Bloody hell?"

"Too much Britcoms, PBS, go on," The Slayer half laughed.

"Well, the Prophecy of Ushman has to do with the birth of a Slayer and it is her destiny to be raised by a Slayer and a vampire."

Buffy's eyes opened wide as she realized the implications.

Giles, so caught up in telling her, hadn't even noticed herreaction. " According to the prophecy, the baby was suppose to be given to a vampire sometime in early late July, or early August, and we are in mid-November. So, either something has gone terribly wrong, or the vampire who obtained possession of the child has her somewhere. But it was prophesied that the child would come to the Slayer, the Vampire would seek her kin's help."

"Uh Giles . . ."

"You see Buffy, The Council believes that Angel was suppose to be the recipient if the child."

"Uh Giles . . ."

"You see, because of his soul, The Council logically believed that it would be him. When they first believed that they found the mother, she suddenly disappeared. They tracked her down some time later to find out that she had dead and the baby was nowhere to be found. Her name is . . ."

"Niya." Buffy finished. 

For some reason Giles heard this, and turned to look at her.

"How did you . . ." 

"During the summer I had some strange dreams, and then a couple of weeks ago an old 'acquaintance' came to town with a little bundle of Slayer."

"Who?"

"Who else?"

"Well if not Angel, then . . . Oh no!"

Buffy shook her head.

"Spike? Spike has the baby? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Every time I tried you were off researching, or talking to the Council, or taking strange trips to weird cities. And I don't think that a note would have been sufficient."

"How long has he been here?" Giles sat down on the sofa next to the slayer.

"Around a three weeks."

Giles wanted to yell at her, but instead swallowed hard and continued, "And the baby?"

"She's so cute Giles. And my mom just loves spoiling her."

"Your mother?"

"Uh well . . . Spike and Niya are staying at my house."

"WHAT?" Giles shouted as he leapt off the sofa. Buffy cringed at Giles reaction. "I want the whole story, RIGHT now, Buffy."

* * *

"So, Rupert have you found any new information? I know that I sent you on that trip to New Mexico to get the book before the Council got a hold of it. I am not quite sure I trust them."

"I understand, Reese. We've known each other since our childhood and been through a lot. And your mistrust of The Council has got me worried. What exactly is going there?"

"Well, it seems, for some reason, that The Council truly wants to find this child and the vampire. They have questioned your Slayer's vampire ex-boyfriend and it seems that he has no information, but for some reason, Lydia believes that his assistant, a Mr. Frances Doyle, knows more then he is letting on. He let something slip about Vancouver and they hadn't mentioned where they had looked. So, they are keeping twenty-four surveillance on him and there is talk of having surveillance on your Slayer too."

"You can't allow that to happen, Reese. The baby is here with my Slayer," Giles reluctantly revealed.

"Dear Lord, for how long?"

"Around a month, I am told."

"What and she didn't..."

"I am no longer her Watcher, Reese, I am nothing but a glorified mentor."

"Well, I will try to quell the Councils efforts then, but I am going to have to work a miracle." The Councilman worried, "Who is the vampire. What order?"

Giles took a deep breath, "Aurelis."

"But there are few left of the order, who could it possibly be?"

"His name rhymes with bike."

"I beg your pardon. It can't be. William the Bloody was one of the most murderous creatures during this century. He killed two Slayers, for God sakes! Rupert, you can't let him find out about her being a Slayer. He might use this as a ploy to get to Buffy."

"Reese, if everything that is in this prophecy is true, then you have no need to worry."

"Rupert, we must take all prophecies with a grain of salt. The Council, upon hearing that William The Bloody is taking care of a child, will certainly want to remove her from him and The Slayer immediately. They aren't even crazy about the idea of Angelus having the child, let alone Spike."

"Well, what will we do?"

"I know a shaman who might be able to keep the baby safe by casting a spell, but I am not sure exactly what he will do. I will have to get back to you on this, Rupert, but for now make sure that the baby is safe with Spike."

"She is, they are living at Mrs. Summers' residence." The loud clink of the phone nearly deafened the Ex-Watcher, "Reese? Reese?"

"Yes, I am here, but I don't believe I heard you right. He's living with the Slayer's mother? And she knows that he's a vampire? Dear lord, Rupert, what kind of charge did you have? A vampire boyfriend, and now a vampire living in her house with a baby! Your Slayer defies all that is conventional."

"To say the least, Reese. To say the least."

"Well, I will keep you informed, once I get any new information."

"I will do the same, Reese." Giles sighed, as he hung up the phone. He grabbed his coat and car keys, determined to see Spike and the newest Slayer in Sunnydale.

* * *

** Part 32**

"I'll get it." Giles could hear Buffy call from the other side of the door. She opened it within seconds, to see her ex-Watcher standing there looking uncomfortable. "Giles** ,** come on in."

"I just wanted to see" Before he could even finish the sentence Spike walked into the shaded living room with a squirming infant.

"What's he doing here?" Spike asked plopping down on the couch, barely glancing at Giles.

"Well, I am here to see you and this baby you have conveniently brought into Buffy's life," Giles stepped into the living room.

"Actually me being here has nothing to do with the Goldilocks. It has all to do with my little darkilocks." Niya smiled as he pouted his lips in a smile. His face suddenly turned serious as he looked over at Buffy, "That sounded poofish, didn't it?"

"I don't even think Angel would have said that," Buffy smiled.

He tilted his head in agreement, "So, what did you want again Watcher? Oops** ,** you don't have the title anymore, from what I hear."

"Why you little twit."

"Look here, unemployed Watcher, no need to get your briefs in a bunch. Plus, no need for the foul language around Ni."

"Foul language?"

"Spike is a very conscience father Giles," Buffy muffled her laughter. Giles rolled his eyes, then saw Buffy taking Niya out of Spike's hands and turn toward him handing the Watcher the enfant. 

"Buffy, I am not good with children. I," before he could protest further, the tiny enfant was in his arms. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she looked at him. 

"Look at Niya and Granddaddy Rupert."

"Dear lord," Giles replied before handing back Niya to Buffy. 

"Well, if Joyce is Grandma, then you have to be Granddad. You are bloody old enough," Spike smirked.

"You are older then me you."

"Don't say it. My Niya has fragile ears. Why are you here by the way?"

"I invited him over, Spike, to see Niya." Buffy suddenly made a face and held Niya at arms length from her, "I think someone went poopy. I'm going to change her," Buffy went up the stairs leaving Spike and Giles alone.

"So," Giles started, trying to break the uncomfortable silence in the air. The only thing that came to mind was threatening Spike with a staking or a beheading. It's not like they have ever had a conversation.

"Sooo," Spike replied trying to find the remote.

"Buffy told me the whole story. Certain things are bothering me though."

"Oh great, the third degree from you too."

"Well, you can't expect to show up here, like this, with a child and not expect various questions."

"Fine, fire away."

"There are no questions, just one demand."

"Demand? Since when are you in"

"Shut up, you prat, you have intruded on both Buffy's and Joyce's lives, and I know that they most likely already love this little girl, so if you do anything to hurt them, or this child, you won't only have The Slayer to worry about."

"You threatening me."

"I don't think I stuttered, did I?"

"You've got stones, Rup. If I was back to my old way, I would have ripped them out and showed them to you. But I won't, because I am not that man anymore. Christine and Niya have --"

"She's all dry and powder fresh," Buffy blared as she came down the stairs. "Did you guys play nice while I was gone?"

"There's no entrails lying about, is there, pet?"

"He meant to say, there's no pile of dust that needs vacuuming, is there?"

Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes at the pair.

* * *

** Part 33**

The phone rudely awakened Buffy as it rang loudly. She looked over to see if Willow was in bed, because the phone was on her side of the room, but her bed was still made and Buffy knew that she was over at Oz's. She got out of bed, began to walk over to the nightstand and stubbed her pinky toe on the end of the table. A string of obscenities left her tongue as she fell onto Willow's bed, as the phone's persistent ringing kept on. She reached over and grabbed it

"Huh?" Was all Buffy could muster to say between her sleep and the pain in her foot.

"Buffy, it's Giles."

"Giles? Who died?"

"What? No one is dead."

"Is the Hellmouth being reopened?"

"No, Buffy."

"Are you are they canceling Cracker?"

"Buffy?"

"Giles** ,** it is four in the morning. What is so important?"

"The Council is coming to Sunnydale."

That news woke Buffy up instantly. "Why? Did you tell them?"

"Well..."

"GILES!!"

"I told one person, a good friend, and he would never betray a confidence."

"Well** ,** he must have, or why would they be coming here?"

"They questioned Angel and now they wantto...."

"The Council did what?"

"They thought he was the one. That's why I had to tell Reese, or The Council would have been here weeks ago."

"But I don't work for The Council anymore, Giles, they can't ask me jack."

"Buffy, you can't fight them on this. They will stay here for a longer amount of time, and if they find out about Niya it could get more complicated."

Buffy turned on the light to her room, "Complicated how?"

"Reese is afraid that The Council may want to keep the child, despite the prophecy."

"First of all, Spike wouldn't allow that."

"I don't think that they will be asking. Buffy** ,** they will be here tomorrow. They are in LA as we speak, and if they discover Spike and Niya. Especially Spike raising Niya, I can't possibly see Travers or any of the others being too thrilled. And since you quit The Council, I doubt they will be too thrilled about leaving possibly the most powerful Slayer ever, in your hands."

"What am I gonna do?" Buffy thought to herself.

"Buffy...."

"I'll figure it out Giles. I'll talk to you later," With that she hung up the phone and began to get dressed.

* * *

"So** ,** what's with the waking up of the whole household at 4:30 in the morning?" Spike asked, sitting down in the Summers' living room. He looked over at Joyce, who looked half dead, sitting on the sofa.

"It's not like you were sleeping." Buffy eyed the vampire dressed in his patented black jeans and t-shirt.

"Yes, Buffy please explain," Joyce yawned.

"Well, you have a couple of days off of work and Spike hasn't had a break from Niya for...."

"Did I say I need a break from Niya?" Spike instantly put up his defenses.

The Slayer sighed, realizing that her guarded approach wasn't going to work, "Fine, The Council is come to town sometime today, and I need Niya and you to be out of the way."

"I thought you quit those bastards."

"Well, they are coming to town for something."

"Is it about Faithhoney?" Joyce asked.

"Ehmm I really don't know, but I think keeping Niya and Spike shouldn't be around when they get here. I was thinking that maybe Niya could go with you to Aunt Tina's."

"I don't think...."

"Don't worry, Spike, it'll be fine, plus my sister would love to see her." The middle-aged woman looked at Spike expectantly.

"How can I say no to you?" Spike gave a worried half smile. "And what about me?" 

"I was hoping that maybe we could let Willow give you a small magical makeover."

"Oh god no!" Spike moaned. "I'm going with Joyce."

"We can't exactly explain why you never go out in the daytime Spike," Joyce answered frankly. Spike sighed, resigned to his fate.

* * *

Joyce left three hours later, just as Willow arrived at the Summers' house.

"I brought all the supplies that I need." Willow smiled as she looked at Spike's face. He looked like a man on death row about to take the final walk down the long hallway. "It won't be that bad Spike."

"Frankly, I don't trust your wiccan abilities," Spike spit out truthfully.

"Hey! I am damn good."

Spike snorted.

Buffy smiled, "Ehmm, let's give him different hair, Willow. And maybe we can fatten him up a bit."

"You're one to talk, Slayer. I remember in your kitchen last year. You holding me over that Island in there, and you were just barely contained in that little shirt."

"Hey! You pervert."

"Oh, come on, you were just all bouncy and --" A fist sent him flying backwards onto the sofa. He rubbed his bruised jaw and laughed, "Now you are all thin and fragile looking. You lose some weight over the summer or something?"

She turned to Willow, "Can you close his mouth, like Amy's mom did Aura?"

The redhead laughed, "I think that we can mask him being a vampire. It's not too hard, just don't walk into direct sunlight or get staked. Think the hair thing is pretty easy." She grabbed two reddish brown leaves, put them on her palm, and crushing them, exclaimed, "Spadix!"

"Wow!" The Slayer stared at the new brunette in front of her.

"It looks great. He doesn't even look like Spike anymore.

"His hair is so curly." 

Spike was getting pissed off, as the two of them continued to smile like two cats that caught the canary. He knew he had to look ridiculous, "Change it back, Wicca. Change my hair back to how it was before. I'll just hide out from The Council."

"No, you look great, Spike." Willow said, "I'm very pleased with myself."

"You do look great, Spike, like a different man."

"Were you trying to say that I was hideous before?"

"No, but..."

"But now I look more poncy, like Angel I figure."

Buffy's look of happiness suddenly dissipated. "You look fine. The hair can stay that way till The Council leaves." 

The Slayer dashed up the stair and slammed her room door.

"Well that was smart!" Willow said sarcastically.

"I know, I got a big mouth."

"To say the least," The witch agreed. "I think Buffy has a Polaroid camera around and you can see for yourself."

Willow searched and found it in Mrs. Summers' desk. She quickly loaded the film sitting next to it. Then took Spike's picture. It seemed to take forever for the picture to appear. When it did, Spike was astonished at how he looked, his original hair was a sandy blond, but this was a dark brown. His blue eyes seemed almost translucent with the dark hair as a contrast.

"I think I better check on Buffy."

She nodded, "I am gonna go, Spike. Tell Buffy that I'll see her in class." 

Spike headed up stairs, but suddenly stopped, "Thanks, Red."

"No problem."

* * *

Spike quietly opened the door to the Slayer's room. She was sitting on her bed, with her back to him; he could tell that she was holding something.

"I'm sorry." 

"Why?"

"Cause I shouldn't have even started that fight downstairs. It's just that, I get the feeling that something is going on, and for some reason you don't want me to know, and that makes me believe that it has something to do with me."

Buffy thought quickly trying to think of a lie. Giles told her how important it was that she keep Niya's secret from Spike.

"Spike, it's just that, the last time The Council was in town. They tried to kill me."

"What?"

"They have a birthday test once you reach eighteen. They lock you in a house with a psycho vampire, and they take away your Slayer powers, and you have to get out of there on your own. It didn't work out as they hoped. The vampire got loose and kidnapped mom. Almost got the best of me. But I outsmarted him in the end."

"And how did you accomplish that, pet?"

Buffy watched him sit down next to her, "Well, he was psycho and needed some pills for his headaches, or something. And I had a glass of holy water and his pills ready for him to take. And he drank it and then he, go poof. But by the time I got back to the library, Giles was fired and Councilman Travers was on his way back to England to send me a new Watcher."

"Ok** ,** I can see why you don't want them here. But I could just leave. It would just make life easier, in case they started snooping around."

"Where would you go? I can't risk something happening to you."

"I'll manage. If I didn't know better, I'd think you care about me, Slayer."

"I do care about you. You are all that Niya's ever known."

"Yeah** ,** I guess. Do you think the hair alone is enough to fool them, pet?"

"I don't even recognize you anymore." Buffy smiled, meaning that statement in more ways then one. 

"I'll take that as a good thing."

"You should."

* * *

** Part 34**

When The Council members arrived in Sunnydale, they instantly went to work. They briefly stopped at their hotel, to drop off their bags. Meanwhile, the retrieval team stayed at a house on the outskirts of town, prepared to fight The Slayer and whatever vampire was keeping the baby.

They looked at the schematics of the Summers' house and Buffy's dorm, planning their ways of entry and escape. If The Council gave them the go ahead, they were ready to go up against the slayer. 

* * *

Back at her dorm Buffy took a huge breath before opening the door to find Giles with Travers at his and three other Council members behind them

"Hello** ,** Miss Summers."

"Why are they here?" Buffy tried to sound annoyed and surprised, since she wasn't supposed to know that they were coming. "I don't work for you guys anymore."

"Well Miss Summers... May we come in?"

Buffy lingered with the affirmation, but eventually relinquished and invited them inside.

"We decided to bring Mister Giles here even though he no longer works for The Council, but we feel that you relationship with him might ease this situation."

"What situation? Is this about Faith? I didn't kill her, she's in a coma."

"This has nothing to do with Faith."

"Then what's it about?" Buffy was getting tired of playing the cat and mouse game with Travers, but she couldn't let on that she'd known about The Council's impending visit.

"It's about a prophecy."

Buffy remained silent, letting him continue.

"About a Slayer," A blonde woman added, her face was stern.

The Slayer rolled her eyes. "What about me?"

"I think that you should explain why you are here** ,** Travers." Giles interrupted.

Travers started, "Very well. There is a prophecy of a baby that was born this summer. We believed that we had found the mother, but she disappeared, and so has the baby."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Buffy asked, trying to be impatient not letting on that she already knew of the prophecy.

"Well, we believe that the baby will be sent to Sunnydale, and is it imperative that The Council finds this child."

"Let me guess, she's some saviour from animpending apocalypse." Buffy smirked.

"Actually she's a Slayer."

"Really?"

"Yes, Miss Summers."

"And why do you think she's coming here?"

"Because it is prophesied that the vampire will use the baby to kill the present Slayer."

Buffy tried to contain her surprise, Giles had never told her that.

Travers continued, "It is said that the vampire will pretend to seek out The Slayer for help and when she becomes vulnerable, kill her and the child. Now, we need to know if Angel, or any other vampires that you consort, with have been in town lately."

"Consort? You son-of-a-bitch."

"Buffy..." Giles warned in a stern voice.

"Oh, give me a break, Giles, they are totally playing minds games with this lame story. And I don't consort with vampires." The waves of anger flowed off of Buffy.

"But there is a young man living at your mother's house?" The woman asked.

"So, now you have been spying on me?" 

"Buffy, it is important that we find out if the child is here. We need your help."

"No, what you need to do is get the hell out of my room and out of Sunnydale, before I make it unpleasant for you and your Council jesters. Now get the hell out."

The Council members moved quietly out of the room as Giles gave her a look that said it all. 'Be on your guard.'

* * *

"Should we go to her mother's home tomorrow?" Lydia asked Travers, as they drove back to the hotel.

"We'll go back tomorrow morning and find out who exactly that young man is." Travers examined the notes that he had prepared.

"What if the child isn't here?"

"Then we go back to England to get the advice of The Guides."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"It is what me must do."

* * *

There was a loud knocking at the door as he padded down the front stairs to the door. He quickly yanked open the door to see five strangers, all dressed in suits, looking extremely serious as they eyed him up and down.

"Is Mrs. Summers home?"

"Nope, just me." 

"Can we come in?"

"Who are we?"

"My name is Quentin Travers, and these are my colleagues."

"Well, Buffy's mom is nothere and I was just going out."

Travers stalled for time. He looked at the timer on his watch, The Unit had 3 minutes to search the upstairs bedrooms for any signs of the baby or the vampire.

"Out?"

"Yeah, my band is playing at the Bronze. I doubt it's your kind of music."

"The name of your group?" Travers glanced at his watch; the team only had 1 minute left.

"Dingoes Ate My Baby." He grabbed his coat and headed for the door, essentially pushing back the strangers, they each looked at him, dumbfounded that he didn't burst into flames. But it became quickly apparent that he wasn't a vampire as streams of sunlight hit his body.

"You're not a vampire?" Lydia was certain that the vampire was staying in the Summers' home.

"Nope, I'm just a regular old werewolf," Oz smiled as he locked the door.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Travers asked hurriedly, as they entered the old farmhouse.

"We found nothing. Nothing in the garbage, no crib or clothes, and no formula in the kitchen. She doesn't have a baby," Johnston stated.

"Ok, we'll wait till their American Thanksgiving and hopefully that they will eventually lead us to the baby. How many days till then?"

"Two weeks."

"We'll follow her around until then. Maybe our translators were wrong?" Lydia suggested.

"I highly doubt it. The only other explanation is that, Miss Summers or Mr. Giles was tipped off that we were coming."

"Do you think? But who?"

"I don't know, but once we get back to England we will find out." Travers promised.

* * *

"Oz** ,** you are the best. Thanks for covering." Buffy thanked her best friend's boyfriend with a hug.

"Well, you told me to look up on him." Oz shrugged.

"So where did he hide? In the basement."

"Actually, Buffy. He wasn't there. Neither was any of the baby's stuff. It was truly like he was never there." 

"What do you mean? He wouldn't have left my mom has Niya. He wouldn't go. He wouldn't leave her." Buffy said, confused and disappointed, "Would he?"

"I don't know, but your mom has Niya, right? So, then, I doubt he would leave her."

"You're right, I guess." Buffy wished she sounded more confident in her answer. 

"I found this sticking out of the mailbox when I was there." Oz handed her a note. "I've got to go to class now, Buffy, but I'll see you at The Bronze tomorrow night, right? Vercua's playing, it should be adequate."

"I'll be there." Buffy took the note from Oz before he left, suddenly lost in the crowd of students switching lecture halls for other classes.

Buffy headed toward her dorm. Once inside her room she opened the plain white envelope.

_ Slayer,_

I heard from some of my mates that you haven't slayed yet that The Council has sent in a special unit to track you along with those stuffed shirts that will probably try and interrogate you. So I cleared out. I doubt that they will be playing by the good guy rules, so I will stay underground for a while.

_ Spike_

PS. Don't miss me too much.

Buffy smiled and tucked the note under her mattress. She had a couple of hours until she had to patrol, so she decided to actually get some homework done.

* * *

Part 35

Harmony looked onward as Buffy staked one of her new minions.

"I don't even think the Powers of Darkness are even trying." 

Harmony watched on as The Slayer continued with her quips, not even sensing the danger behind her.

"I can't wait till I kill Buffy. Every demon in town will worship me. I'll be totally popular. I'll be like a Master. I'll--" Harmony felt a sharp pain in her back, then felt like thousands of tiny needles were pricking her skin as she fell to the ground shrieking in pain.

She was suddenly aware of three masked men surrounding her. One grabbed her tiny body and carried her in his arms. She was fully aware of everything, but she just couldn't move.

* * *

Spike walked through the demon bar wondering what exactly he was doing at Willy's, but pretty quickly he was sitting at the bar ordering up a glass of A positive. The warmed human blood tasted so relaxing, almost like chilled champagne.

"I didn't know you were back, Spike?" An annoying voice asked from behind the bar. "Wow, I like the hair, but it kind of ruins the bad boy look, you know."

"I am not back, just passing through. What of it?" 

"Well, are you in town to deal with those new guys that are helping The Slayer?"

"What guys?"

"I guess you've been out of Sunnydale too long to know the low down." Willy moved closer to Spike, "You see there are some guys that are going around hunting demons and doing experiments on them. From what the word is, The Slayer is building an army of fighters to get rid of demons in Sunnydale. I personally think that the little girl does fine on her own, but hey, she's gonna put me out of business with these guys."

"You don't know what you are talking about," Spike huffed. Willy looked at him strangely, "The bint doesn't have the brains for that kind of operation," He covered quickly.

"Sure, Spike whatever you say, but don't let them get you." With that Willy went down to the other end of the bar to serve a Hakes demon.

Spike was beginning to think that coming to Sunnydale was the wrong idea. With The Council breathing down The Slayer's neck, their ops unit snooping around, and this new threat. Sunnydale was looking like too much of a hassle. He drained the glass and called over to Willy to poor another. "Tell me more about 'those guys'."

* * *

TBC.


	8. Chapter 8 081303

** TAKEN BY SURPRISE **

****

****

** Author: **Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards 

** Feedback:** Do vampire's have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com

** Summary: ** Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. The council is after Christine and her baby and Spike gets something he never thought he'd have a baby. 

** Warning:** **Character Death** **This a Spike and baby story just to warn all**. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship. 

** Things that must be known:** For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story. 

** Song:** Little Girl's Eyes by Lenny Kravitz (album: '5') 

** Disclaimer:** I own none of BTVS characters, they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Niya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus 

** Distribution: ** THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, Dancing With Death, and Fanfiction.net. If you have pervious permission to take any of my fics that is fine **but** Taken By Surprise is strictly for the sites listed above. No other site has my permission to post this fic. 

** Author's Notes:** As for any medical stuff I know nothing and I did no research. Well that's not true the condition in this story does exist for some women, I saw it on The Learning Channel. So there I did do research. 

I started this fic in December 2000 and I have had most of it done but a co-writer offered me suggestions on making this a better fic and I took her advice and this fic has become a near novel. Well I started getting it betad in November 2001 and then all of my exams, papers and real life in general stalled this fic again. Then the whopper came when I saw ATS, episode DAD and I nearly freaked at some of the similarities between my fic and that eppy. I was going to scrap this fic even though it was over a 100 pages and near done. I didn't want people to think that I took the idea from Angel when technically I had it written down and floating around the net since April 2001. So now I present to all that will read my baby (the fic that is for all to see). 

** Dedication: ** To Hilary who forced me to continue this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. And thanks to the other Hunnies. To Miss Binks who helped me SO MUCH especially with chapter 5. To Esme, Shippy, Wrydin & Jill my wonderful betas, thanks bunches. 

___________________________________________________________________________

** CHAPTER 8**

** Part 36**

* * *

Spike avoided most of his past Sunnydale haunts to avoid being seen by to many other demons. Even though none of them seem recognize him. He walked all this way until finally reached his destination. It wasn't the obvious place to go but it was better then staying in an dirty motel as he opened the crypt door he wasn't shocked to find it empty. All of the furniture covered with white sheets. He shivered as old memories flooded his mind. All that time spent in a wheelchair, hearing Drusilla fawning all over her sire. It sickened him that he even decided to come back to this place. But the mansion was his best place and the council probably knew nothing about it. He sighed as he kept on walking through the extravagant living area. And then he saw the small China doll, 'Miss Edith' sitting perched on top of the mantel. A thick layer of dust layered over her. The first thing that came to his mind was Niya. _She would probably like dolls, wouldn't she_? He smiled thinking about her then quickly frowned thinking that it would be another week or so until Joyce got back with her. For the first few days that Niya was gone Spike was going stir crazy, he couldn't believe how attached to this baby he had become. He vowed to himself that this would be the first and last time she would ever be away from him, he laughed to himself thinking of riding with her and first date to the movies and making sure to sit between them so there was no rubbing of parts not even elbows.

"She'd love me for that," He said out loud sarcastically laughing to himself. He carefully lifted the doll and dusted it off, realizing that it was going to be a long couple of days. That was until he got a plan. In the middle of cleaning off the doll he thought about using up some favours from demons that owed him. And now would be a perfect time.

* * *

By the end of the week the council was gone. They headed to Los Angeles looking for a vampire and a baby that was mysteriously being talked about through demon circles. Spike secretly hoped that they would go and bother Angel for a while, "Would serve Peaches right."

* * *

"So you mean to tell me that you just took what Spike said at face value." Xander asked as he stabbed down his fork into the turkey on his plate. He was having a hard time learning about the Spike and Niya revelation from Buffy.

"Xander he…" Willow began.

"Buffy you can't trust him! He's evil- you know that right? Please tell me I am not the only one who sees that." Xander looked around the rest of the table at the Slayer and then the Watcher. "And you've known about this how long?"

"Well for a…"

"And you?" He looked over at Willow, who ducked her head quickly from his accusing gaze. "So what you are telling me is that Anya, Harmony and I are the only ones left that didn't know."

"Well…" Harmony and Anya started together. Xander looked at them in utter shock.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe everyone kept this a secret from me."

"Maybe it's because they knew you'd react like this, geek boy." Harmony scoffed as she sipped on the cup of pig blood, "It's just like you guys keeping that Angel was here from her." 

Everyone looked to see Buffy's stunned reaction and then all hell broke loose.

* * *

For the whole bus ride back to Sunnydale Joyce smiled as she admired her pseudo granddaughter encased in her arms. Niya had remained quiet for the whole five hour trip from Oregon. Travelling back to Sunnydale on the night bus wasn't Joyce's ideal situation but it was the only bus back to Sunnydale that weekend. She was about to settle and read a book as she laid Niya down in the empty seat next to her when the baby began to fuss as a young woman walked toward the back of the bus.

"She's so cute." The young woman cooed, "How old is she?"

"Five months in two weeks." Joyce boasted.

"Her hair is so beautiful and those eyes."

Niya fidgeted trying to squirm away as the woman touched her curly black locks.

"She's getting a bit fussy." Joyce watched as Niya's face crinkled turning bright red and she began to cry. Other passengers on the bus groaned at the noise. The stranger pulled back her hand away from Niya as if she was burned, by the reaction.

"Maybe she just doesn't like strangers." The woman gave a slight smile, "But she's still adorable." The young woman nodded her head to Joyce with a slight smile and then walked toward her previous destination. Niya quieted down in moments as Joyce rocked her to sleep.

_ That was weird_, Joyce thought as she watched Niya sleeping. Even Joyce knew that by Niya's reaction that something was wrong with that woman.

* * *

Part 37 

Buffy shook her head as she thought of her meeting with Angel as she walked through the front door completely exhausted. Something kept nagging at her, something that she was supposed to remember, but she pushed it away. She was really glad that her mother was coming home tonight, the Slayer wanted see Niya and have a talk with Spike, especially since she hadn't seen him since he left. She opened the front door slowly; the flicker of the television caught her eye immediately. The Slayer stepped into her living room to see Spike feeding Niya she looked over at the TV to see that it was some kind of soap opera.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked setting down her bag.

"Shhhhhh. I have to hear what Tabitha is planning to do to Charity."

"Ooooook." Buffy set down her bag. Suddenly a commercial popped up but before Buffy could even say a word Spike pressed the remote and began to fast forward through them. "On tape?"

"Yup. The only way to watch soaps. I have a weeks worth to watch since that stupid council made me miss them." He stopped feeding the infant.

"Can I?" Buffy extended her arms out to take Niya.

"Sure slayer. How was LA? How is your ex doing, still brooding?" Spike smirked.

"You could say that." Buffy answered quietly. "He was in Sunnydale for Thanksgiving."

"Yeah I know."

"Did everyone know but me? My god what the hell kind of slayer am I?" She continued to rub Niya's back gently.

"One that has just been spit up on."

"Huh?" She pulled Niya away from her and made a face as she handed the baby back to him. "Just great." Buffy grabbed a paper towel by Niya's bottle and wiped off the shoulder of her sweeter.

"The underground talks when Peaches is around. That's how I knew. The council probably knew, too. I heard he was here and cleared out." Spike conveniently left out that he practically sicked the council on Angel, "Does Peaches know I'm here?"  


"You're name never came up. Although we didn't talk long."

"Good…that he doesn't know I am here." Spike was definitely glad that they didn't talk for long. "So what else has been going on since my little hiatus?"

"You wouldn't believe it. If I told you!" Buffy replied as she settled Niya into her playpen.

"What? Those commando guys? Still mucking about?"

"Not only that this girl that I used to go to school with, got vamped and then she was captured by the commando's. Her name is Harmony. She came to me for help believe it or not. Seems strange the way vamps keeping doing that."

"Haha, very funny Slayer." Spike replied dryly as she fast forwarded another Chad and Whitney argument.

"They did some kind of experiment on her. And now she's well sort of impotent." Buffy concluded abruptly.

"What? Sexually?" Spike stopped the tape to look at her her.

"No fangwise. She can't bite. Actually she gets some kind of shock or something when she tries to attack anything." The look on Spike's face was priceless she couldn't help but laugh.

"Ohh. I don't know which is worse."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Yeah so you better stay off the street. We don't need Niya having a fang free daddy." 

Spike ignored her sarcastic edge to last bit of the sentence and began to play his Passions tape again.

"Well Spike I am going to have a shower and then I am off to bed."

"Night Summers."

"Night Spike. Bye bye Niya." Buffy dashed up the stairs leaving the two behind.

* * *

Part 38 

Buffy couldn't believe how great it felt being out in the fall air. Everything was pleasantly warm and so far everything was going great with her picnic with Riley.

"So you've been pretty scarce around campus lately."

"Basically, I've been home a lot lately." Buffy smiled opening up a container of sliced apples.

"Everything ok?"

"Ok as things could ever be in my life." The Slayer smirked. For once it seemed like she might finally get the normal boyfriend and partially normal life that she had always wanted. But then a peroxided vampire and a baby got stirred into the mix. Buffy sighed mentally before smiling at Riley who was looking at her longingly.

"I was going to ask you something?"

"Ask away…" Buffy waited patiently.

"Hi guys?" Willow said meekly as she approached the picnicking couple.

"Hey Willow." Riley greeted.

"You ok Wil?"

Buffy had told Riley about Willow and Oz imploding but not the whole story of course, cause that would involve werewolves and witchcraft which were not good first date material.

"You're having a picnic." She observed.

"Yeah uhmm…" Buffy began just as Willow took a seat next to the couple. Buffy gave Riley an, 'I'm sorry.' Look but he just smiled slightly letting Buffy know that it was alright. He could tell that Willow was hurting and that she just needed to be around people. Buffy couldn't help but admire him and at that moment she was sure he had found the perfect normal guy. Now she just needed to incorporate him into her very unusual life without getting him killed, or just as bad, scared off.

* * *

Spike couldn't believe he was doing this. Bringing Niya to the Watchers after the last conversation they had was not his idea of a good idea. 

Spike expected the middle aged man to answer the door but instead in front of him stood a beautiful blond. "You must be Spikey."

"And you are to never call me that again." He was already pissed off with the vampire in front of him. "The name is Spike." 

"Ok Spikey, I am Harmony." She smiled flipping her blond hair over her shoulder giving him ample view of her revealing cleveage.

"Oh you are the neutered chick."

"Hey I am not neutered." Her sweet smile disappeared. "I just can't bite people."

"Hence neutered luv."

She rolled her eyes, "At least I am not neutered by some kid" Harmony laughed as she looked at the sleeping baby and then up toward Spike holding a diaper bag and a soother. "Giles is in the 'Loo' as you British say."

Spike watched as the vampiress turned and walked toward the stairs her hips sashaying from side to side in her tight jeans.

"So how long were you a vamp before they got you?"

"A couple of months."

"Oh!" Was all he said.

She watched him as he set down the baby stuff in the living room. Harmony gave Spike a leering look making sure that he knew exactly what she was thinking. He smiled at her and was about to say something when Giles walked in.

"Spike? What are you doing here?"

The blondes groaned at the interruption.

"I needed to bring Niya over for a bit. Slayer's gone prancing off somewhere and I need a sitter for a bit.

"Fine but I also wanted to talk to you about Buffy."

"I'm gone." Harmony grabbed a magazine and headed toward the stairs.

"What about the Slayer?" Spike rolled his eyes ready for another lecture.

Giles sat down near the baby and ran his fingers through her black hair. "She's getting attached to Niya."

"And…" Spike waited.

"Well basically I want to know if you plan on leaving Sunnydale in the near future?"

Spike was blown away by the Watcher's abruptness. "If I was Watcher, it wouldn't be any of your business." Giles picked up Niya who just murmured slightly and then made herself comfortable in his arms resuming her sleep. Giles could see that Spike was ready to protest but the vampire held his tongue. "Buffy and especially Joyce are very attached to this baby. So if you plan on leaving I think that giving them a fair warning is in order."

"Look here watcher, I am not going anywhere at least not for a long while but raising a child on a hellmouth isn't a good thing either."

"Perhaps… but you made the decision to come here and now everyone must handle the consequences..."

"Understood." Spike replied wanting to get the hell out of the apartment.

"Are you killing people anymore?"

"Why are you asking me a question you already know the answer too."

"Because I want to hear it from you and not hear what might be Buffy's selectively hearing or wishfully thinking. So she wouldn't have to stake you."

"No! Happy? I am not feeding."

"What kind of blood do you drink?"

Spike was really growing tired of the twenty questions, "Human." Spike stated a matter of factly.

"I don't want to know how you get it."

"I wasn't planning on telling you. But I am running low and I can't ask Joyce to get it for me…"

"You'd better not." Giles warned.

"So do you mind?" Spike looked suggestively at Niya and then at Giles.

"Well..uh…"

"Thanks Grandpa Rups. I'll be back in an hour." Spike smiled before giving Niya a quick kiss on the cheek and headed out the door, "By the way she'll need changing when she wakes up. And food is in the bag."

Giles looked stunned. As soon as Spike closed the door the infant woke up and took one look at Giles and started crying. 

* * *

Part 39 

Spike was whistling, walking down the street to a 'dealers' house. Dealers were basically humans that catered to demons needs. Miksa was a middle aged Japanese woman; she owned her own shop near the downtown core of Sunnydale. She hired various humans to give her things that demons wanted. Whether it be the hair of a virgin or the skin of a priest, even vomit and bile were fast sellers at the store but for vampires that wanted to stay out of the Slayers way blood was her best seller. She had all types and all races, even baby... It didn't matter what the substance as long as demons wanted it she would provide it as long as she didn't have to kill anyone.

Spike was about to turn the corner to the alleyway to Miksa's shop when a buzz of electricity crackled through the air. The vampire instinctively dropped to the ground. The device cracked over his head and he rolled toward the figure that was closest to him and kicked out the legs from underneath the attacker.

The attacker grunted as he fell to the ground. Spike flipped up and lashed out at the other figure that approached him he gave a spin kick connecting with the attacker's jaw. Sending the person sprawling to the ground. Meanwhile the other one had recovered and grabbed his tazer gun and approached Spike cautiously. Spike turned to dodge the impending blow the soldier didn't even know what hit him as Spike punched him the face. The gun went sprawling to the ground and the solider just charged at Spike with full force knocking the vampire into the wall. He pulled back grabbing the vampire by the throat and started punching him. Spike broke the strangle hold and head butted his attacker, then grabbed a near by pipe hanging out of the dumpster and hit the attacker in the stomach. 

He's vampiric instincts took over as he pulled the attacker off of the ground and sunk his fangs into his neck. The rush of warm blood filled his throat but so did a bitter taste to the blood. Spike retracted his fangs and dropped the bleeding man to the floor. He was heading toward Miksa's when the crackling of static broke through the silent alley. 

"Alpha one this is Lilac. What's your status?" There was a pause, "Alpha 1 come in?"

* * *

Giles and Niya had been playing for sometime when Spike burst through the door dropping the bag he was carrying to the floor and started to gather Niya's clothes. Giles could see the blood that stained the vampire's hands and knew that something was definitely wrong.

"What happened?" Giles looked at the dark bruise forming on the left side of Spike's face.

"Nothing. I'm taking Niya home." Spike picked up the baby and settled her in her strolled not even bothering to zip up her jumper properly. He set his bag of blood down in the trolley. Even Harmony picked up her head at the smell of the blood. But as soon as the Slayer burst through the door Harmony rested herself back down on the couch and waited for the impending explosion.

"Spike? What are you doing here?"

"Leaving." He grunted. Niya looked up at Buffy with a smile.

"No you're not, something happened and I was want to know what." Giles interrupted sternly.

"I'm leaving plain and simple I don't owe you a thing Watcher."

Spike was about to head out the door when Buffy grabbed his arm. Instinctively he swung his fist and it connected with her jaw shocking the Slayer but definitely not taking a heavy toll on her. Niya screamed in delight as her father put on his game face. That was until Buffy drew back her fist and gave Spike an equal punch knocking him backward. Now her scream of excitement turned into full blown wailing. Her crying was the only thing stopping Spike from going after Buffy. He picked her up and put back on his human façade as he tried to comfort her.

Buffy was shocked and a little hurt at Niya's reaction. And then she finally saw the bruises on Spike's neck. "What the hell happened?"

"One of those bleeding Commando idiots guys that it what happened. Tried to zap with one of those tazer guns." He replied shaking Niya gently to calm her down.

"Did you…Did you hurt them?" Buffy asked softly.

"What do you think?" Spike scoffed, "The prospect of having something shoved up my brain like blondey over there doesn't really excite me."

"Did you kill the bastards?" Harmony suddenly spoke up.

"No not dead." 

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I am so glad that you are so concerned about my well being Slayer." Spike retorted sarcastically before he settled Niya back into her stroller. And finally headed out the door. Buffy gave Giles a fleeting look before going after Spike. "I am coming with." 

"No you are bloody not." He yelled.

"We can fight about this for the next hour with you leaving more bruised and battered or you can shut up and let us take her home and tell me everything that happened." Buffy said putting Niya in her baby-seat. 

Spike sighed but his anger dissipating, "Whatever, Slayer."

* * * 

The whole trip to Revello Drive was made in silence Buffy held Niya in her arms as Spike lugged all of her bag stuff into the house.

"Where's mom?" Buffy asked as they walked into the darkened house. 

"She's staying in LA for a week for an auction, she left two days after bringing Niya home. I guess you were too busy with some wanker to check your answering machine." Spike snipped taking his blood to the fridge. He washed his hands as thoroughly as he could. Getting the remnants of blood off of them.

"Spike… I am sorry about before. Hitting you and all."

"Hey I am use to it. Remember our truce you kind of had a thing for hitting me in the nose."

"I just can't go around pretending that it ok for you to hurt people just because of Niya." Buffy looked down at Niya as she contined, "I am still a Vampire Slayer. It's what I do and it's how I feel. Gosh I never thought I would have…"

"It's alright Slayer. Although we will probably always be enemies on some level I respect you."

"You do?" 

"Absolutely. Just don't… nevermind." Spike grabbed a towel to dry his hands.

"Just don't what?" Niya got the better of the situation as Buffy held her. She grabbed the slayer's finger in a death grip. "Hey there little one you've got a strong grip there huh?"

The baby smiled, "You're gonna be a strong little girl huh?" Buffy asked in a baby talk voice. Buffy slowly walked into the living room. Niya's smile grew her chubby cheeks rising fully. Buffy began to play tug of war with the infant, she enjoyed battling the young Slayer in a game of strength. Buffy just laughed as Niya continued to grip her hand until her little nails began to prick into Buffy's skin, "Spike." Buffy tried to shake lose her fingers "Spike! Niya needs her nails to be cut." Buffy yelled toward the kitchen.

"The clippers are in the bag." He yelled back. "In the front pocket."

"But..but…." Buffy heard the microwave ding and figured Spike was eating. He walked out of the kitchen in full game face. And Niya again began to thrash around happily in Buffy's arms.

Buffy was astonished that the baby knew of his presence or more likely that she knew of his vampire presence as Spike coddled her and clipped her nails with ease.

"Now that's daddy's little girl." He lifted her high above his head and making her giggling and the brought her down to his awaiting fangs. His fangs aiming right her chubby little neck. Buffy's Slayer senses were going crazy as the sharp elongated teeth got closer to the baby's neck. Niya just squealed in delight. She got so excited that she walloped Spike in the chest with her foot. Buffy couldn't stop laughing, the look of shock that passed Spike's vampiric face was priceless. He morphed back into his human façade and Niya gleefully drooled at the excitement.

"You kick like a slayer." Spike quipped but Buffy froze at his observation, _He couldn't know could he? _"You are going to bed little missy. And your daddy is off to have shower. Say bye bye Niya." Spike helped Niya's tiny arm wave bye, Buffy couldn't help but smile. 

"Bye bye sweetie." 

"Night Slayer." Spike said before he carried Niya up the stairs.

As soon as Buffy heard Spike turn on the shower she called Giles.

"Hello?"

"Giles, it's me. Ehm how did Niya react to Harmony?"

"Well she was sleeping when she got here but once she woke up and saw Harmony she started to cry. I thought it was strange but then Harmony tried to convince me that she was always good with kids and picked up Niya and the baby started pulling on Harmony's hair and wouldn't let go until I took her out of her Harmony's arms. I must say that Niya won the fight hands down." Giles huffed, "Are you asking for the reason that I think you are asking?"

"Yup. It seems that our little Slayer already knows the difference between vampires and humans. Or at least good vampires and not so good ones. But I need to test the theory."

And how do you propose you to do that?"

"Ehmm I am not sure. Maybe I should take her to Willies?" Buffy could practically hear Giles cleaning his glasses. "I am kidding Giles. There is no way to test what her abilities are without putting her in danger and having Spike ask a gazillion questions."

"Very true."

"But what I don't get Giles is how she could know this stuff this early. She's not even six months old yet. Hell when I was 15 I couldn't tell the difference between a vampire and human." Buffy heard the shower shut off, "I have got to go Giles. I'll call you from the dorm."

"Ok Buffy talk to you later."

* * * 

** Part 40**

** One Week Later**

"Hey, what's going on?" Buffy asked dropping down her weapons bag, looking at the crib box and all the baby stuff on the foyer floor.

It had been two months since Spike had moved into the Summers house.

"I'm leaving, pet." Spike said gliding down the stair with a bag full of baby clothes, Spike put down the bag and headed back up the stairs, whistling.

Buffy's heart sank as she thought, there's no way that he could be leaving. 

Buffy still hadn't told him about the prophecy, he couldn't leave with Niya. Buffy headed toward the kitchen, where Joyce was feeding Niya.

"Hi mom." Buffy greeted grimly.

"Oh, hi Buffy." Joyce replied with the same enthusiasm.

"So he's leaving."

"Yeah."

Niya gurgled at Buffy and Joyce handed her the baby. Buffy felt tears in her eyes looking at the baby slayer.

"So where's he going?" Buffy said handing her back to Joyce.

"Far, far away from you Slayer." Spike chimed from the living room. With that Buffy walked onto the back porch and wiped the tears that were on her cheeks viciously away.

"Hey, Buff." Willow said walking toward her, "I heard the back door slam and . . ."

Willow stopped as she saw Buffy face.

"Hey what's wrong? Willow asked sitting next to Buffy on the step.

"He's leaving Will."

"Spike? Where? Why?"

"Yes. I don't know for last two."

Both girls could here Niya giggling inside.

"Yes laugh for Grandma . . . You are a cutie aren't you . . ." Joyce said in baby talk.

"Have you told him?" Willow asked.

"No, Will how am I going to tell him."

"Tell who, what? Joyce asked the two girls as she stood at the screen door

They both sat in silence.

"Well?" Joyce hurried as she handed Niya to Willow. Niya shifted in Willow's arms but didn't make a sound.

* * * 

Spike paused hoping that Buffy didn't sense him as he walked toward the kitchen.

"Buffy what is going on?" Joyce asked.

Buffy sighed deeply, "Niya is a slayer. Well is going to be a slayer."

Spike stepped back as he heard the revelation, so those guys from Vancouver that Nina told him about must have been from The Watcher's Council.

"Bloody hell." He whispered to himself as he stepped back into the living room. A Slayer. This tiny baby a slayer. I don't want her to be a slayer. I don't want her to fight vampires. She's just a baby. She shouldn't have a pre-set destiny. Niya should be happy and playful. Not worrying about staking and crossbow techniques. Goddamn Powers That Be.

* * *

TBC…


	9. Chapter 9 090103

Disclaimer: Songs used are Genie In A Bottle by Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera 1999 & Beautiful Stranger by Madonna - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me 1999 

Notes: Thanks to my wonderful beta Jill 

Note2: Also note that I will be using the shows from the 4th season of BTVS throughout this fic with minor changes of course. All of the Hush scene white board stuff is meant have short cuts like r instead of are or 2 instead of to/too.   

**  Taken By Surprise   **

**  Chapter 9   **

 **Part 41  ** 

"In my entire Slaying career, I never thought I would be helping a mortal enemy feed a baby strained carrots." Buffy popped the top of the Gerber can and set it down on the table.   

"Well you invited yourself over Slayer, so bloody right I am gonna put you to work." Spike turned and looked at Buffy as he handed Niya to her.   

"Well I was waiting for you to invite me over." Buffy looked over him as she settle Niya into her high chair.   

You would have been waiting a long time, Spike thought picked up Mr. Gordo and set him down in the play pen.  

"Well I know that my mom was here already I was just kind of hoping…"  

"Slayer, we are mortal enemies. We aren't suppose to mix. You Slayer - - Me vampire it's just not right."   

"But you came to me for help." Buffy was shocked by this change in him.   

"No-no-no I went to Joyce for help. You just burst in and attacked me and never left." He said mater of factly.   

Buffy wiped off some of the strained carrots from Niya's chin and turned toward Spike. "You have been in a crap mood ever since I got here maybe I should just go."   

Buffy threw down the towel, in the process knocking over the jar of baby food which was sent crashing to the floor. Niya's face turned red at the loud noise and she started crying. "Oh I am sorry sweetie." Buffy picked her up and cradled her in her arms.  

Spike passed his fingers through his hair watching Buffy lull the baby down. "I'll get you another bottle and clean up this mess." He half groaned and resigned to the fact that the Slayer would probably never tell him the truth about Niya so why fight about it every time she was near him.  

* * *   

**Part 42 **  

Buffy was dreading going to class it was the day she had to hand in outline for her major essay in psychology. She hoped it would be good enough since she spent the whole night doing internet searches finding sources to cite.   

As soon as she entered the class with Willow she practically fell asleep.  

* * *   

Even after her brief encounter with Riley she was feeling a bit creeped out by her dream the little girl's voice haunted her.   

'Can't even shout. Can't even cry…'   

And that box in her hand seems to be important. Buffy couldn't shake it out of her mind so she decided to call Giles.   

  * * *   

 Harmony looked at Giles annoyed as he continued to talk on the phone, "Ehmm HELLO! I need to use that phone sometime today."   

Giles fluttered his hand dismissing the annoying vampiress who huffed and plopped herself on the sofa flipping through a magazine. "Ooooo Ten Ways to Make him Moan Your Name. I love Cosmo." Harmony settled into the chair making herself comfy.   

"Can't even shout; Can't even cry; The gentlemen are coming by. Um, it sounds vaguely familiar. You're sure it's - nothing you heard when you were a child?… Oh all right. Nothing else?… Well I-it could definitely be one of your prophetic dreams or it could just be the eternal mystery that is your brain. But I-I'll check it out and um; I'll let you know if I find something…. All right. Bye bye."   

Xander and Anya walked through the door.   

"What's up G-Man? Some new big bad in town?"   

"No I need you to take Harmony for the weekend."   

"WHAT?!?" Xander, Anya and Harmony all exclaimed in disbelief.   

"I am having a friend over and she…"   

"Oooh an orgasm friend." Anya stated making Giles blush.  

"Yuck!" Harmony shuddered.  

"If she comes to my house she's getting chained up again. She is not walking around free."  

"Is that how you want me Xander all chained up and helpless for you?" Harmony said playfully loving the reaction on Anya's face.  

"If she comes to your place I am staying the night too."  

"Anya she's just goading you."   

"Does it look like I care? I wasn't a successful vengeance demon for over a thousand years without knowing the stupid things men do when possible orgasm might be involved. So it's final Xander, if she's at your place then I am too." Anya folded her arms over her chest just daring Xander to disagree. H looked to Giles for help.  

"Come and pick up Harmony by eight." Giles said ignoring Xander's pleading look.   

"Fine." Xander grumbled not liking this idea one bit. Needless to say he wasn't the only one not liking this arrangement.   

* * *   

Even though there were no voices the noise never seemed to end. Car horns were blaring, dogs were barking. Willow and Buffy walked through town. The liquor store was doing brisk business. An ambulance siren blares turning a corner.   

They noticed a man selling message boards for ten dollars. The two best friends looked at each other and quickly bought one.   

Willow began writing immediately, 'We have 2 figure this out'   

'I know' Buffy scribbled, 'I am glad that mom is out of town til tomorrow.'   

'What about Niya n' Spike?'   

'Oh my god he must be freakin not being able 2 hear Niya' Buffy wrote quickly and held it up for Willow to see then quickly erased it, 'I will go & see him after we get done at Giles'  

  * * *   

Buffy opened the door to Spike's apartment slowly as the radio blared.   

'It seems that Strangedale oh wait I mean Sunnydale has yet again another strange occurrence. Apparently everyone has become mute from some Flu vaccines. Many of the towns residences have been emailing use with requests so here is a request from, Hot Blond and Tempting, it's Genie In A Bottle.' The DJ accounted.   

I feel like I've been locked up tight   
For a century of lonely nights   
Waiting for someone to release me   
You're licking your lips   
And blowing kisses my way   
But that don't mean I'm gonna give it away   
Baby baby baby (baby, baby, baby)  

Ooooh (my body is saying let's go)   
Ooooh (but my heart is saying no)   

She walked into the living room hearing the pop tune playing but what stunned her even more was seeing Spike spinning around dancing with Niya.  

I feel like I've been locked up tight   
For a century of lonely nights   
Waiting for someone to release me   
You're licking your lips   
And blowing kisses my way   
But that don't mean I'm gonna give it away   
Baby baby baby (baby, baby, baby)   

Spike dipped the baby playfully and even from this distance she could see the smile on Niya's face. Even as Spike swivelled his hips to the rhythm, Buffy was in a state of shock.  

Ooooh (my body is saying let's go)   
Ooooh (but my heart is saying no)  

If you wanna be with me   
Baby there's a price to pay   
I'm a genie in a bottle   
You gotta rub me the right way   
If you wanna be with me   
I can make your wish come true   
You gotta make a big impression   
I gotta like what you do   

Buffy held her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh as Spike mouthed all of the words. She couldn't even believe that Spike was listening to Christina Aguilera let alone dancing to her and knowing all of the words.  

I'm a genie in a bottle baby   
You gotta rub me the right way honey   
I'm a genie in a bottle baby   
Come, come, come on and let me out   
The music's fading   
The lights down low   
Just one more dance   
And then were good to go   
Waiting for someone   
Who needs me   
Hormones racing at the speed of light   
But that don't mean it's gotta be tonight   
Baby, baby, baby (baby, baby, baby) 

Ooooh (my body is saying let's go)   
Ooooh (but my heart is saying no)  

Spike spun around in time to see Buffy doubled over in laughter. He stopped abruptly for which Niya gave him a sour look.  

Spike just scowled at the Slayer turned intruder. 

If you wanna be with me   
Baby there's a price to pay   
I'm a genie in a bottle   
You gotta rub me the right way   
If you wanna be with me   
I can make your…  

Buffy stopped laughing once the radio was harshly snapped off. Spike watched as she stood up, complete with tears in the corner of her eyes.  

'Very funny Slayer' He mouthed before settling Niya into her playpen.  

Buffy lifted up her whiteboard, 'I'm a genie in a bottle, u gotta rub me the right way. HaHa'  

'Bollocks.'  

Spike picked up a pad and pen and wrote, 'Why r u here?'  

'Just checkin up on how u r doing?'  

'As u can see we are...' Spike stopped writing instantly and went Niya's cribbed and picked her up. Buffy looked at him strangely he then rubbed his stomach and then pointed to Niya.  

Buffy smiled as she followed them into the kitchen. Buffy set down her board on the table and got a jar of strained bananas from the fridge as Spike set Niya down in her high chair.  

'U need help patrolling tonight?' Spike scribbled down on her board and held it up for her to read she popped the seal off the food, which she handed to him.  

'Nope u better stay here & take care of Niya.' Buffy wrote down. Spike read it and shrugged his shoulders. 'Since u guys r fine I should head out now to patrol. Take care'    

* * *  

After the long scream, silence enveloped the old church once again. The dusty rafters were now covered in Gentlemen brains and other parts that Buffy dare not think about.  

Nothing was said as they slowly left the abandoned building. They both looked at each other trying to figure out what the deal was with the other and decided that maybe this was not a good time as they went there separate ways.  

* * *    

Buffy walked down the bustling streets it almost seemed like Mardi Gras as people partied in the streets screaming and laughing and some even crying in joy.  

Buffy's whole body ached and she could still feel blood seeping through her stab wound. Spike's place was only three blocks away while Stevenson was about ten blocks. Logic of course dictated and off she went to Spike.  

  * * *  

Buffy was more surprised that the door still remained unlocked this time. The radio was on again.  

"What is it with him and pop stations?" Buffy said shrugging her jacket off painfully.  

Haven't we met   
You're some kind of beautiful stranger   
You could be good for me   
I've had the taste for danger 

If I'm smart then I'll run away   
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay   
Heaven forbid   
I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger 

Spike could smell her blood as soon as she walked through the door. "Well I see you beat the baddies and got banged up in the process." 

I looked into your eyes   
And my world came tumbling down   
You're the devil in disguise   
That's why I'm singing this song  

"More like stabbed up with a scalpel"  

"Let me see." Spike pulled out the first aid kit from the nearby drawer. 

To know you is to love you   
You're everywhere I go   
And everybody knows 

To love you is to be part of you   
I've paid for you with tears   
And swallowed all my pride 

Buffy turned and showed Spike her back. He could see a trail a blood along her white sweater. He began to lift it off her…  

"Hey hey hey…"  

"How do you expect me to clean the wound with this bloody sweater on pet?"   

Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum   
Beautiful stranger   
Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum   
Beautiful stranger 

If I'm smart then I'll run away   
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay   
Haven't you heard   
I fell in love with a beautiful stranger 

"Well…I…um…"  

"Right then." He carefully lifted the garment off of her. Her hair flowed down like a blond silk again her golden brown tan. He quickly pushed it off to her shoulder remembering what he was suppose to be doing and looked at the wound.  

Buffy felt uncomfortable sitting in Spike's living in her bra but she really didn't have a choice there was no way she's be able to dress the wound. 

I looked into your face   
My heart was dancing all over the place   
I'd like to change my point of view   
If I could just forget about you 

"It's not that bad it's already healing up but some hydrogen peroxide would help in case the baddies weren't very sanitary. So brace yourself pet." He soaked a cotton ball and applied it the wound. He watched as it bubbled. 

I looked into your eyes   
And my world came tumbling down   
You're the devil in disguise   
That's why I'm singing this song to you  

Buffy felt the painful sting of the antiseptic. At least it wasn't iodine. She heard him tearing some tape and felt a bandage and then the tape cover the wound. 

To know you is to love you   
You're everywhere I go   
And everybody knows 

"Thanks."  

"No problem. So you want to tell me what happened." 

To love you is to be part of you   
I've paid for you with tears   
And swallowed all my pride  

"The question is where to begin. How about you get me a t-shirt and then we can discuss it then." Something about having a conversation with Spike in a bra made her nervous. 

I've paid for you with tears   
And swallowed all my pride  

"Right pet." Spike said before he dashed into the bedroom and came out with a Sex Pistols t-shirt.  

"I expected Christina or Britney jeesh."  

"Just tell me the bloody story." He scowled.  

* * *  

**Part 43 **

As soon as she heard the knock on the door she knew who it was. Buffy invited Riley in; they both moved to the center of the room and sat down on opposite beds.  

Riley started as he sat down on Willow's bed, "I guess we have to talk." 

Buffy answered "I guess we do." Buffy then glanced at the floor. "Somebody should speak before one of us graduates." 

"What are you?" even he wanted to kick himself in the mouth for really asking her that. 

"Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius. You?" 

"Sorry. That came out a little blunter than I intended. - It's just... you are amazing! Your speed, your strength." He said completely enthralled with her. 

"Also passionate, artistic and inquisitive. - Who are you?" Now it was Buffy's turn for the bluntness.  

"You know who I am. The rest... what I do... I can't tell you." 

Buffy stood up, "Well, then let me. You're part of some military monster squad that captures - demons, vampires; probably have some official sounding euphemisms for them, - like unfriendlies or – non sapiens." 

"Hostile Sub Terrestrials." 

"So you deliver these – HST's to a bunch of lab coats, who perform experiments on them, which among other things turn some into harmless little bunnies. How am I doing so far?"  

"A little too well."  

"Meanwhile by day you pretend to be Riley Finn, corn-fed Iowa boy. Ever been to Iowa, Riley? God, if that's even your name." Buffy was slowly getting angry everything she thought about him was a lie or at least a half-truth. She had trusted him. She especially trusted that he would a safe guy to be with. But now she didn't know. 

"It is, born and raised. And hey! Bulletin: I'm not the only one who's been a little less than honest here." 

"I thought a professional demon chaser like yourself would have figured it out by now. - I'm the Slayer." Buffy was surprised at his dumbfounded expression, " Slay-er? - Chosen One. She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries? - You're kidding. Ask around. Look it up: Slayer comma the." Now she was really pissed. Jeesh I need to get my name out there. How am I going to win Miss Slayer of the year award. 

"And you fight demons. I mean, you wailed on those guys." Riley said intrigued and impressed 

"You did pretty well yourself." 

"But I'm a walking bruise today. You see me with my clothes off I look like… I mean... I have – bruises... I don't see a scratch on you." 

"You're not looking hard enough." She replied gloomily 

"I'm looking pretty hard." He insisted. Riley took a deep breath "So then... What do we do?" 

"I don't know. - I just..." Buffy sighed, "I really thought that you were a nice, normal guy." 

"I am a nice, normal guy." 

"Maybe by this town's standards but I'm not grading on a curve. I have enough to worry about… I think we both need a little time to – process everything. Maybe then..." 

"Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea." 

He slowly got up started to leave as he reached the door he turned back, "Oh, - I don't think I need to tell you..." 

Buffy sat on her bed with her arms crossed, "I won't say a word." 

"Good. It'll be safer for all..." His voice trailed off as he looked over at Willow's pet rat, who's squeaking like crazy in her cage.  

Then the whole room began to shake, Riley pointed to the open closet door, "Over here." 

They hurried and stood in the doorframe until the earthquake stopped. 

"Wow. That was some ride. Sorry I'm so excited. This is my first earthquake." Riley slightly smiled but the look on Buffy's face quickly erased it. 

"It's not mine."  

* * *  

**Part 44  **  

After dropping Niya off at Joyce's, Spike went off to Miksa's. He rounded the corner to run smack dab into one of his poker buddies Clem.  

"Hey watch where…" Clem started until he realized who had run into him, "SPIKE! Hey Spike… you disappeared for a while."  

"Yeah! I had business to tend too. How come you're running about this part of town?"  

"Well there has been a scary influx of demons since the quake. And you don't want to be near the college since those body snatchers are, so being in town is the best solution." Clem smiled holding his basket close.  

"Actually I got attacked near Miska's a couple of weeks ago. So be careful."  

"Okies Spike. Thanks for the info." Clem smiled, "So when are we going to see you at poker again?"  

Spike could see the blanket covering the basket moving around. "You have a good night at poker?"  

"Oh yeah. I got a calico, a Persian, a pair of Siamese and four Blue Russians."  

Spike smiled slightly impressed, "You were making a killing tonight then."  

"Yup! Ehm Spike…" Clem's ear twitched a bit which Spike found strange, "There is talk of you having a baby. Well not you HAVING baby but you having a baby. Is it true?"  

"Who've you been talking too?"  

"It was just talk around the bar tonight." Clem shrugged, but his ear twitched again.  

"What aren't you telling me, Clem?" Spike's voice was low and threatening.  

"Nothing… I mean well... Nothing really. Well there was talk of some Council that was doing lots of digging in demon circles and then you disappeared and everyone thought it must be Spike, that was until Angel came here and then they left and you reappeared and Tinup was saying he thinks it's you. Man, I dunno Spike I was just asking. Cause well… I could baby-sit! Yeah I am good at that kind of thing you know." Clem babbled.  

"Unfortunately Clem there is no baby to sit. So tell those busybodies to play poker and pool and drink their liquor instead of gossiping."  

"Well it was good that they gossiped cause they were paying too much attention." The loose-skinned demon laughed revealing the beautiful kittens and then covered them up quickly. "Anyways I better go before the Slayer or one of those other guys finds me. Later Spike."  

"Bye Clem." Spike called as the demon took off down the alley.  

He knocked on the trusted over door and was greeted by Miksa's son Hica.  

"Mom's expecting you. Come in Spike."  

"I've already been here at least three dozen times…"  

"Why still invite you in?" Hica smiled his eyes looked demonic they were so black it looked evil. "Because all invitations to our store are broken once the demon leaves. Especially vampires."  

Spike scoffed, "Just give me my items and I will be on my way."  

"Not so fast. Mom wants to speak to you." Hica lead the vampire into a dark room that had one small table and two chairs. On the table was a lit candle, which made the whole room smell like strawberries. "Have a seat she will be in here shortly."  

Spike did as he was told and impatiently waited until Miksa entered and sat across from him.  

"Hello Spike. I have news for you."  

Spike remained silent but rolled his eyes waiting for some dramatic foretelling of impending evil and death.  

Miksa pursed her lips in annoyance at his attitude. "You little one is in danger."  

Spike's attitude quickly changed, "I don't know what you are…"  

"NO LIES! I know. She is the one to change the world. Everyone fears her. Even you should. She is very protected by you but others will interfere."  

Spike sighed, "No offense but none of this means anything to me."  

"It will once HE comes. He will worry the earth. He will destroy everything you have. Everything you want. I know this. I feel it in my bones. That is all. Hica will give you your package." Miksa rose from the table, leaving Spike completely at a loss for words.    

* * * 

Even when he reached Joyce's he was trying to analyze each sentence Miksa had said and still came up empty, "Bloody bint putting all this prophetic hogwash in my head."  

He opened the door to see Buffy getting out weapons from the living rooms chest.  

"What's going on?" He asked setting down his containers.  

"An apocalypse as usual. Some demons are trying to get things to open up the hellmouth."  

"Right then so where are we going?"  

"Number one WE aren't going anywhere. I don't think it's a good idea."  

"Look pet, that earthquake has got everyone shook up and I know what happened the last time there was an earthquake."  

"Well maybe this time I won't die!" Buffy cringed, "I think I just jinxed myself huh?"  

Spike nodded, "But if I helped you instead…"  

"No! I don't want to put you in harms way." Buffy said harshly then her voice softened, "Plus if I don't defeat them I need for you to make sure that Niya and Mom make it out of Sunnydale."  

Spike sighed and conceited to her request even though a part of him wanted to shake some sense into the girl but he wouldn't argue with her.  

"Fine just be careful." Spike smiled, "See another one of those not allowed Slayer-Vampire moments."  

"Hopefully I'll be seeing in you in a couple of hours. I am going over to Giles." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then headed out the door. It took the blond vampire a while to finally let the realization sink in that she had kissed him.  

* * *  

Spike was busy pacing up and down getting stir crazy it had been over 5 hours and still no word from Buffy but there had been two small aftershocks, which made him worry even more.  

Then the front door burst open. And it officially began.  

* * *  

"Thank god Riley was there." Buffy exclaimed to Willow.  

"I know if he didn't have that device thing with the wire you would have been..."  

"In hell. Again."  

Spike was glad when Joyce brought down Niya at least he could leave and not hear about Riley anymore.  

"She was such a good little girl tonight." Joyce cooed putting her in Spike's arms.  

"Well I'm going to go Joyce. Tell Buffy ..."  

"Tell Buffy what?" Buffy and Willow appeared out of the kitchen they had finally taken a breath from the soldier boy praise.  

"We're leaving."  

"Like you're leaving without an escort. The Initiative might still be looking for vamps."  

"So tell your new boyfriend to skip over me and I'll be fine." Spike snarled and opened the door and was about to march out the house when a tall bulky figure stood in his way, "Just bloody perfect."  

Spike passed Riley making sure to hit him in the side with the baby bag and went in his car. Riley flinched especially since his ribs were still sore from the fight.  

"Spike what are...Oh hi Riley!" Buffy started just as she noticed the figure in front of her.  

"Buffy you dropped your necklace and I thought that I'd give it to you because.... uh...."  

Buffy smiled at his awkwardness, "Thanks."  

Joyce looked at the young man in her doorway and put on a polite smile, as Buffy introduced them.  

"Can I talk to you for a minute Buffy?" Joyce asked in the motherly tone that really meant, I'm pissed and your about to know why' tone.  

"Ahhh sure. Come on in Riley." Buffy invited.  

* * *  

"What are you doing?" Joyce started.  

"Uhh??"  

"Why didn't you go after Spike?"  

"He didn't want me too. He left, not me."  

"You're so blind sometimes. You were ranting and raving about Riley and Riley and Riley."  

"Well mom he did . . ."  

"Never mind you have to figure it out on your own." Joyce huffed as she left the kitchen.  

"Figure out what?" What the hell was that all about? Buffy asked herself, before she returned to the living room.  

* * *      

Joyce watched day in and day out as Spike, Buffy and Niya bonded. She would sometimes look the three and wonder if Buffy wasn't a slayer and Spike not a vampire that they would be the perfect couple.  

She sat on the stairway quietly watching as Buffy and Spike vied for Niya's attention. She saw some of the glances they stole at each other every now and then when the other wasn't looking. Joyce knew there was something stirring underneath the surface no matter how much they would deny it, in times like these she knew better.  

She got up slowly trying not to be noticed by the trio. She went into the kitchen in time to hear the phone ring. "I'll get it." Joyce bellowed to the couple from the kitchen, "Hello." 

"Ehmm… Hi Mrs. Summers. Can I please speak to Buffy?" 

"May I ask whose calling?" 

"Riley. Riley Finn."  

Joyce cringed; she had thought that maybe Buffy had listened to her but apparently not since she had even given him her home phone number. 

"Hold on a sec." 

Joyce set down the phone and walked into the living room where there was an enormous amount of giggling from all three. Joyce hated to break up this moment. As soon as she told Buffy who was on the phone she could see Spike's whole demeanor change an icy look crossed his face as she left to answer the phone.  

"I think I should go Joyce." 

"Spike wait…"  

"It's alright Joyce." Spike picked up Niya from the blanket and grabbed the baby bag and headed for the door quickly.  

* * *  

Buffy came bouncing out of the kitchen looking for Spike and Niya but they were gone. Joyce sat alone folding Niya's play blanket.  

"Where did they go?" 

"Left. Buffy I…" 

"Oh well I better get back to the dorm. Oh yeah Riley asked me to another picnic tomorrow." Buffy beamed.  

"Honey you and I were suppose to take Niya to the park tomorrow."  

"Well you can take her mom she doesn't need the two babysitters anyways. I better go, I have a test tomorrow. See you later." With a quick kiss on her mothers cheek Buffy dashed out the door.  

Joyce could tell that this Riley guy was going to be a problem.  

* * *  

**Part 45**    

Spike and Niya sat in the dark watching all of the action on the screen, until they were interrupted by the rattling at the door.  

"Great the Slayer!" Spike mumbled clicking off the movie. 

As soon as the words left his mouth she was inside the apartment with a big duffle bag in tow.  

"Finished patrolling already?" Spike asked when she flicked on the light. 

"Yup, not much baddies out tonight." 

"Your boyfriend and his goons probably nabbed them all." The blond vampire grumbled.  

"Whadija say?" Buffy asked, setting down her bags in the living room. Buffy turned to Spike finally taking in his appearance. He was wearing navy blue tear-aways with a white fitted shirt. He was barefoot and sitting down on the floor while Niya was sitting up next to him. 

"Nothing, Niya's been waiting for you all day."  

"Really?" Buffy's face melted in a smile as she walked over and picked up Niya. Buffy looked at her in horror, "Spike what did you do to her hair?" 

"I uhm tried bows." He said sheepishly. "Well Joyce normally does it. It looked easy enough." 

Buffy couldn't help but laugh. The little girl had bows and hair sticking every which way with clumps of hair that Buffy supposed Spike would call ponytails. "Poor Niya." Buffy began to untangle the mess that Spike had created. 

"Look at this we're one big happy family. A vampire–stay at home dad and a slayer-college student mum and a little baby whose hair looks like something that even a chaos demon would run from."  

Buffy giggled but soon realized that she in Spikes mind was Niya's mother. Apart of her was happy but another part was kind of scared. This situation was something just thrown into life and even though fighting demons was a chore so was being a regular college student and now a pseudo mother.  

"I think Niya is going to start talking any day now." Spike said as Buffy carefully took out the last bow. 

"Really? Isn't it soon? She's only 5 months!"  

"Not for my pumpkin." 

"If Harmony got her way she's have Niya calling you Spikey." Buffy teased and she evenly parted Niya's thick black hair into two ponytails before she handed Niya over to Spike.  

"Don't even go there. The other day she was saying ba-ba." 

"Daaa." She jumped in his arms. 

"What's that hon? Da-da. Come on say it!" Spike urged.  

Niya looked at him strangely and then jumped again, "Daaa-daaa"   

Spike grinned from ear to ear, "Didja hear that Slayer?"   

"Hear what?" Buffy rolled her eyes, but she secretly smiled as she turned her back toward him.   

"Say it again Ni.  I know that you can do it for your Daddy."   

Niya looked at him again strangely and then began to cry.   

"Look at this you're pressuring her." Buffy reached for Niya, but Spike wasn't letting her go.   

"Oh come on!" Spike urged and Niya stopped crying to scowl at him which made him laugh.   

"I have to go soon."   

Spike turned toward Buffy, "I thought you were done patrolling? Have a test or something in class?"   

"No, other things. Can I use your bathroom?"   

"Certainly, luv."   

* * *  

'As...you...wish...'   

'Westley!'   

"Now, hon I don't want you going all fanatic over some bloke like that. Rolling yourself down a hill. Puhlease."   

'The Princess Bride will return after these messages.'   

Spike heard the bathroom door open; he peered over the leather couch to see Buffy. He quickly placed Niya in the play pen and leapt off the couch.   

"Where are you going pet?" Spike asked eyeing the Slayer up and down.   

"On a date?"   

"In that?" Spike asked waving his arm up and down at the slinky black strapless lycra dress.   

"Yup."   

"Pet that dress is ... is..."   

"Well I hope that Riley has the same reaction." Buffy modeled the dress for Spike.   

His eyes swept over every inch of her body. And then the thoughts that filled his mind were overwhelming, "You can't wear that."   

"Beg your pardon." Buffy scoffed, "Hello?? I am and I will."   

"Do you know what he'll think if he sees you that."   

"Only what your thinking Spike. Therefore it couldn't be too bad! Could it?" Buffy watched him intently enjoying his reaction to her words.   

Spike heard her cell phone ring. Buffy turned around and bent down to reach for her phone inside of her duffel bag. The dress rode up ever so slightly.   

"That's such a cute mole right by your..." Spike tilted his head as Buffy still bending over turned to watch where his eyes were.   

She quickly stood up straight and answered her phone, "Yes Riley I'll be down in a sec."   

"Still have to fix my hair." Buffy quickly picked up a clip and shook her blond looks and pinned it up messily letting lose strands caress her neck and face.   

Spike didn't think it possible but she looked even sexier, his eyes trailed her neck and stopped. He was glad that she was putting on her lipstick in the mirror so that she couldn't see his reaction.   

"I'm going to leave this stuff here ok. I'll pick it up tomorrow." She told going over to Niya and kissing her on the cheek.   

"You really shouldn't do that pet, the hair thing and the dress. I mean he might get the wrong idea."   

"That's the whole point. Night Spike." Buffy replied dashed out the door.   

Spike walked over to the playpen where Niya was smiling and playing with Mr. Gordo.   

"If you even think that your going to leave the house looking like that all I have to do is show any chump that comes to the door this." Spike put on his game face and Niya went hysterical.   

"Da--da." She smiled showing her little teeth sprouting through her gums.   

Spike couldn't help but smile even though he was a bit angry at Buffy. He slipped off his game face and picked up Niya. 

"Shoot we missed the part where they went through the swamp."  

**TBC… **


	10. Chapter 10 100403

TAKEN BY SURPRISE

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**Author: ** Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards 

**Feedback:** Do vampires have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com

**Summary: ** Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. The council is after Christine and her baby and Spike gets something he never thought he'd havea baby. 

**Warning:** **This a Spike and baby story just to warn all**. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship. 

**Things that must be known:** For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story. 

**Disclaimer:**I own none of BTVS characters they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Niya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus, Tasha and Rachel. 

**Distribution: **THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, The Sandlot, and Fanfiction.net. No other site has my permission to post this fic without my permission. 

**Dedication: ** To Hilary who forced me to continue this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. And thanks to the other Hunnies. To Miss Binks who helped me SO MUCH especially with chapter 5. To Esme, Shippy, Wrydin & Jill my wonderful betas, thanks bunches. 

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** THINGS TO REMEMBER PLEASE READ!!!**

** 1. Remember that Harmony is chipped in my version of season 4 not Spike**

** 2. That all of the episodes basically remain intact except for the changes that I write in the fic.**

** 3. I will leave out parts of episodes because well I expect you to hopefully know them being BTVS fans so brush up on your season 4 knowledge pretty please. And also ever chapter would be like a two-hundred pages and no one wants to read all of that.**

** 4. The episodes glanced at in this chapter are (descriptions taken from 2002 Yearbook)**

** a. A New Man ** – Giles, down after Buffy's latest (typically disastrous) birthday party, ends up commiserating over a pint with Ethan Rayne. But Ethan slips something into Giles drink, causing him to literally wake up as a new man or in layman's terms a demon.

** b. The I In Team – ** Buffy becomes an honorary member of The Initiative, but unbeknownst to Buffy, Professor Walsh wants her dead.

** c. Goodbye Iowa - ** While Buffy tries to reveal the truth about The Initiative to Riley, Maggie Walsh is discovered murdered by her own creation, Adam who was built as research but sets out on a path of destruction.

** 5. I think that's it. Good luck in reading LOL!**

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** Chapter 10**

** Part 46**

"So this guy turns your Watcher into a Fyarl demon. Bloody priceless." Spike laughed. "And Harmony helped save his butt. I didn't think she could help water out of a tap that one."

"Well apparently the Initiative was after him cause he decided to pull a stunt on Professor Walsh. I don't think he likes her." Buffy giggled. "Anyways I tried to kill the demon thinking it had done something terrible to Giles. But after I stabbed him in the heart with a letter opener, I released that it was Giles."

"Ouch." 

"Yeah I know but it wasn't Silver thank god or I would have killed him." Buffy looked over the town from Spike's balcony. Niya was fast asleep and for some reason the night air was surprisingly hot. "But when I looked into his eyes I knew it was Giles. God I hope Ethan Rayne gets some rough military treatment. Maybe they have anal probes."

"Buffy!" Spike laughed.

"He tried to kill me, tattooed me, and gave my mom and Giles Candy that made them, you know." Buffy gave him a weird look and shoulder shrug. He looked at her completely dumbfounded, Buffy sighed loudly, "YOU KNOW!" She couldn't bring herself to say the word. Then it dawned on Spike.

"Oh god no! That man is evil." Spike shuddered. "Poor Joyce."

Buffy punch him playfully in the arm. "I have to go and see him tomorrow. It's gonna be a real hoot." Buffy said sarcastically.

"Yeah I bet. Especially when you explain to him how you forgot to tell him about your Boy toy and Co."

Buffy glared at the last bit of his statement. "Don't remind me."

* * *

Buffy sat on the sofa in Giles' apartment the next day, watching him hook up his new cordless phone.

"I am sorry, Giles. I really thought I told you about Riley and the Initiative. And I know that it doesn't help. Look, I promise it won't happen again. I will tell you everything."

"Buffy, I don't want to ask you to betray any confidences, and I certainly don't want to interfere--." Giles removed his glasses to clean them.

"Uh-oh, you have 'but-face'. You look like you're gonna say "but." She explained quickly.

Giles took a seat next to her, "But . . . this, um, Initiative, I'm a little concerned. Ethan's not exactly a reliable source but, um . . . I'm not sure that he's wrong about them."

"I'm not dating the Initiative. I'm dating Riley. He's a good guy."

"I-I believe that. But he's part of something we don't really understand."

"You sure you're not just saying this because you don't like Riley's boss?"

"No! No. I'm not saying that at all." The Ex-Watcher paused, "Although I do . . . hate her quite a lot. But I want you to have your personal life, but . . . keep your eyes open. Make sure you know what you're getting into."

"Warning heeded." Buffy put on a smile but underneath she knew that Giles might be right.

* * *

Professor Walsh didn't believe one word of Riley's story. But the little information that they got forcibly from subject Rayne she decided not to pursue the issue.

"So she walks in and the rules just suddenly break?"

"Pretty much." A sheepish look crossed Riley's face.

"Be careful with her. She reacts on instinct. There's no discipline there. Her loyalties are uncertain." She warned cautiously as they continued to walk.

"You won't be disappointed in her." His confidence in her glowed, "She's good at what she does. She is the truest soul I've ever known."

Professor Walsh chuckled, "Oh, no…oh, no! Spontaneous poetic exclamations. Lord, spare me college boy is in love."

"I'm just saying she'll work out. You'll be proud of her."

"You want to know what I think." She knew that she needed to keep tabs on this relationship and a positive disposition would be a good one to take, "I think you're probably right."

Riley smiled leaving Walsh. She glanced over her shoulder before swiping her ID card through a keypad the mechanical security door opened and she steps inside. She looked at her notes walking down a white corridor and punched a security code into another keypad. "Good afternoon Professor Walsh." An automated voice greeted her, "Welcome to 314."

* * *

** Part 47**

The two witches were sitting in the student lounge.

"This is so cool. Wow." Willow admired the clear purple-pink crystal in the palms of Tara's hands. "I've been trying to find a dolls-eye crystal my entire life. Well, since June, anyway. Where'd you get it?"

"It-it was my grandma's, I think. I found it a long time ago in my attic." Tara hesitantly began, "I-I want you to have it."

"Oh, no, Tara. That's really sweet. I can't. It's like a family heirloom. I-I just wouldn't feel comfortable."

Tara looked a little hurt as she put the crystal away. 

"But if you wanted to try out some spells with it some time, I wouldn't say no." Willow smiled brightly.

"Maybe tonight. I mean, if you're not doing something you could… come over and we could do something." Tara's eyes avoided Willow's.

"Tonight . . . That sounds really nice. But tonight I, uh, already have plans with people. I have to take something's for a friend and I uhmm…" Willow gestured to the bag next to her.

"Oh. Um, that's okay. Another… time?" 

"Absolutely! It's just tonight, it-it's kind of a specific crowd. You might feel out of place."

"Oh…"

"And I have to bring this stuff over to a friend mine he has a baby."

"Oh I love babies. Maybe I can go with you."

"Well uhmm… I don't know if…"

Tara was silent for a moment she grabbed her bags and stood up, "It's ok…I better get to class."

"Well, um, I'll see ya later. Okay?"

Tara just nodded as she walked off.

* * *

Buffy looked around the huge installation trying to take in everything she could, but being on the inside of The Initiative was mind-blowing and a bit intimidating. Here she fought demons with stakes and axes; meanwhile they had tazers and mini camera devices and such. Now she was truly receiving the grand tour.

* * *

"I mean it was huge. You wouldn't believe all of that was sitting underneath a frat house." Buffy relayed excitedly as she grabbed a bowl of popcorn. "It was soooo state of the art like a James Bond kind of thing. I had to get a retinal scan and everything. It was so unreal."

"Willow already brought me the formula and stuff already." Spike gritted his teeth as she yammered on about The Initiative. "So you don't have to stick around." He muttered the last part underneath his breath.

"Oh no probs, I have a little while to stay and chat. Anyways, they had demons trapped in this place called 'The Pit' that is probably where they took Harmony…"

"Luv, pass me the remote."

"Sure." Buffy handed him the remote that was on the end table next to her and continued, "And there were some green squid-faced demons laying on two tables, while techs work on them."

"Really." Spike said disinterested.

"And then there was this device laying in an open case. When I looked at it you could see my face zooming up into the monitor I had no idea it was a camera. Professor Walsh says it costs about twenty-thousand dollars. Then she gave me a security card and a pager."

"Really? So now you have an all access pass to some evil government installation. Good for you." Spike snidely flipping through the channels.

"What's that suppose to mean? They aren't evil."

"Sure… Cause the government wants to kidnap and tinker with demons heads for fun right. It totally makes sense now they want to make demons into fuzzy little kittens." He huffed getting up from the chair. "You're going to be late meeting the Scooby's at the Bronze. You can see yourself out Slayer. Make sure you're here at 10 to take Niya to the doctor's ok. Joyce can't do it cause of a new delivery at the gallery." Spike disappeared into his bedroom.

Buffy stood baffled by his attitude but she shook it off and did take his cue, she grabbed her bag and looked at her watch she was going to be late.

* * *

Professor Walsh waited as Dr. Angleman finished washing his hands.

"How did the tour go?" He asked as he grabbed a towel.

"I'm not sure. She's unpredictable." She replied walking across the room.

"She's an unnecessary risk."

"Possibly. How's our baby doing today?"

"Adjusting nicely. Reflexes, motor-functions. All off the charts."

"That's what I like to hear. Almost time to wake up, Adam." She said almost lovingly to the figure lying on the surgical table.

* * *

Willow, Anya and Xander sat around waiting for Buffy to arrive. The music flowed through the small club.

"Maybe she won't show." Xander shrugged, "She's got Riley now and hell she's even got Spike now." 

"Xander has issues with Spike." Anya relayed the obvious to Willow.

"When someone practically bludgeon you to death and kidnaps you… I think you will have issues too." Xander replied defensively.

"Ok that's in the past Xander, Spike is… well he's a parent now."

"Poor kid." He huffed. 

"Buffy is coming and Spike is a good dad." Willow said sternly wanting to bring doubt on both out of the issue. "Here she comes." Willow said excitedly until, "...with Riley... and some other guys."

Buffy looked around until her friends sitting at a nearby table. She walked toward them with five guys in tow.

"Hi, all! Sorry about the late-itude." Buffy said taking a seat next to Willow.

"Late? Really? Huh. Hadn't noticed." Xander's voice was etched with sarcasm.

"Hope you don't mind us tagging along." Riley said giving the group a slight smile.

Willow had to force her own smile, "No. No, of course not. The more the. . . more."

"This is Graham. This is Forrest. That's Kevin. And that's Jay in the back." Riley pointed out all of his friends.

"How you doing?" Graham smiled at Willow and other's nodded their acknowledgement.

"We're gonna go grab some drinks. Anybody want anything?"

"Coke, please." Buffy gave Riley a sweet smile.

"I'm good." Willow said curtly.

"No." Xander said and then Riley looked at Anya with the offer.

She just frowned, "We're going away. To dance. Over there." She stood up and grabbed Xander's arm dragging him toward the dance floor.

Riley and the guys headed over to the bar.

"Anya seems a bit on edge." Buffy talked over the music.

"She's a little angsty around commando-types. Ex-demon issues."

"Oh. You know, I didn't think that you would mind. Riley and the guys were throwing a little impromptu celebration in my honor and made it, like, impossible to not invite them." Buffy tried to explain.

"Oh. That's neat about the celebrating. I just thought this was supposed to be, you know, just us. Just the Scooby corps. You know. I mean, I could have invited somebody else if I knew it was an open free-for-all." Willow looked over at Anya and Xander. She was really a bit pissed off at Buffy.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea. My *total* bad. So, who did you want to invite?"

"What?"

"You said you wanted to invite someone?"

"No. Not-- no one. I meant a hypothetical someone, which is to say no one. What are we celebrating?"

"I'm in. The Initiative. Professor Walsh gave me the grand tour and we're talking Grand as in Canyon! You'd never believe the size of it. When I told Spike about it though he seemed unimpressed. I guess he kinds of feels the same way Anya does without the ex-demon part."

"And maybe the fact they tried to capture him didn't help either." Willow grumbled. "That's really . . . again I say 'neat.' So, what do you mean exactly? You've joined them?

"No. N-not exactly. It just means that when I patrol I'll have a heavily armed team backing me up. Plus, boyfriend going to work with me: big extra perk."

"Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, don't you think you're rushing things a little?"

"I thought you liked Riley?"

"Not with Riley. With the Initiative. I mean, there's a bunch of stuff about them we still don't know."

"I know that. Like what?"

"Well, what's their ultimate agenda? I mean, okay, yeah, they-they neuter vampires and demons. But then what? Are they gonna reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Wal-Mart?"

"Does Wal-Mart have bagboys?"

"Plus, don't forget that '314' thing that Ethan told Giles about." Willow reminded the slayer.

"Well, a man that worships chaos and tries to kill you is a man you can trust." Buffy's voice dripped with sarcasm_, 'God she is beginning to sound like Giles with all of the warnings'_

"Well, bad info or not, I just think there's certain questions you should ask before you go off and enlist. Also what about Niya and Spike."

"What about them?" A loud beep emitted from Buffy's bag she reached into her bag to pull out the still beeping pager. Two seconds later five more beepers go off at the bar and Riley checks his pager.

"That's us. Let's go." Riley commanded to the others.

"When did you get a pager? What's going--?" Willow looked on as Riley's friends headed toward the exit.

Riley steps up to the table and Buffy stands up. "That's our cue. Mother wants us."

"Will..." Buffy looked back at her friend as she grabbed her jacket.

"I know. Talk later." Willow said as she watched unhappily as Buffy left with Riley.

* * *

** Part 48 **

Xander opened one eye looking at the ringing phone willing it to stop but it didn't stop. He looked at the time and groaned it was 9:25. His head ached from hearing Anya's yammering about the Initiative and now on his one day off in two weeks the phone was ringing incessantly.

He slammed his hand over the handle and grabbed the phone harshly, "What?"

A voice sighed on the other end.

"Look it's too friggin early in the morning for phone sex Anya."

"Bloody hell. It's not her you prat."

The British voice woke him up instantly, "Spike? Why the hell are you calling me?"

"Cause the Slayer is not at her dorm room neither is Red and Rupert as gone somewhere according to Harm so you are my last hope. Actually if I knew your girls number I would have called her before I called you but Buffy didn't leave me that number. So you're it."

"What do you want?"

"I need you to do me a favour."

"Ha, this keeps getting better. Why would I do you a favour?"

"Cause it's for Niya." Spike gritted his teeth even the thought of the whelp helping him out of this mind irked him.

"What is it?"

"Well the Slayer was suppose to be here at 9:00 to pick Niya up for a 10:00 appointment but she's not here and Niya needs to go to this check up and I can't go with it being daylight and all."

"Fine. Give me your address." Xander sighed knowing he couldn't not do this for Niya; the only thing he couldn't stand was that he would be helping Spike in a way.

* * *

She sat watching them together. So loving and tender with each other. Needless to say she was not amused.

The surveillance monitor continued to record Buffy and Riley's intimate moments between the couple, she turned her attention the monitor labeled, GATES. There lay Tasha and Forest sleeping peacefully. That relationship she had monitored from the beginning but Tasha was no Buffy she wasn't a real threat to her plans. But Buffy was.

Professor Walsh turned away from the monitor wondering what exactly she should do next.

* * *

Buffy could almost feel the sun rising she woke up taking in her surroundings. Worried, she suddenly rolled over and to her relief Riley was lying next to her, already awake, looking at her.

"Hey. What's the matter? Weren't expecting to see me?" He brushed a lock of hair away from his face tenderly.

Buffy relaxed a bit, "I never know what to expect."

He leaned and kissed her until an annoying electronic chirping sound fills the room.

"Your robot bird sounds hungry." Buffy smiled.

"It's just a reminder to take my vitamins." He explained kind of embarrassed as he rolled over and grabbed a medicine bottle on his nightstand as the chirping ends.

"You're kidding?"

He sat up a bit and downed the pills with a glass of water, "Sorry."

"Quite the regimental soldier."

"I am how they trained me."

"They? Who they?"

"You know the government. Plucked me out of special op-training for this." He regaled. 

"What did they tell you it was for?"

"They didn't. In the military you learn to follow orders. Not ask questions." He said matter of factly.

"I don't understand. Aren't you curious about all the science and research stuff they're doing?"

"I know all I need to know. We're doing good here. Protecting the public. Removing the sub-terrestrial threat. It's work worth doing." Riley said proudly wondering where Buffy was going with this.

They were silent for a moment. 

Buffy figured beating around the bush was getting nowhere to she went for the jugular, "What's 314?"

Like clock work the phone rang. Buffy sighed thinking that phone call was too convenient as he answered it. The phone call lasted less then twelve seconds once Riley hung up the phone she got up out of bed.

"What is it?"

"Don't know." He said grabbing a pair of jeans.

"You're really not one for asking questions, are you?"

The soldier smiled "I'll leave that to you."

* * *

Her plan was easy enough - send Buffy out to capture two of the fiercest demons The Initiative ever caught and making sure Riley wasn't around until it was too late. Professor Walsh was overly confident that this would be the end of her Buffy Summers problem. She watched with glee as the cam-con's heart rate monitor flat lined.

* * *

Buffy looked at the two demon bodies that laid at her feet and shuddered. She turned around looking for the com-cam, once the Slayer found it she held it up make sure that her message would come across loud and clear.

"Professor Walsh. That simple little recon you sent me on . . . wasn't a raccoon. 

Turns out it was me trapped in the sewers with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say you're gonna find out."

Buffy put down the com-cam and decided that the little 20,000 dollar piece of equipment needed a little remodeling as she crush it into the ground.

* * *

"It will be dark soon. I think it will be wise for you to leave Sunnydale." Giles said to Harmony as she put on her pink sweater carefully avoiding the bandage that Giles had just put on her shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere. They put this thing in my head, they shot me with super tracking device thingy. I've had enough. I am not leaving until those bastards undo whatever they did to me. Put me back the way I was." Harmony huffed. 

"Sure. Just explain to the nice scientist guys that you really miss killing and torturing innocent people." Xander couldn't believe the gall of the vampiress.

"Do you think that would work?" She smiled hopefully.

Willow rolled her eyes, "Why didn't we let them capture her."

"Get loss geek."

"Hey this geek just saved your little scrawny ass." Willow said angrily.

Giles removed his glasses rubbing his nose bridge in frustration, "Harmony-- lord knows why I'm telling you this-- it's for your own good. As long as the Initiative is in operation it's not safe for you here."

No one even noticed that the Slayer had stepped in.

"No." Everyone turned to face Buffy. "It's not safe for any of us."

* * *

Professor Walsh walked through the corridor of 314 she was looking forward to seeing him. It was the only highlight of the day that her creation would be awakening tonight. She didn't know how she was going to get Riley back on her side but she knew it would have to happen soon.

She reached his room and stood over him and talked to the still figure.

"So, all right. Fine. If she wants a fight, we'll give her one. Won't we, Adam? I've worked too long. Too long... to let some little bitch threaten this project. Threaten me." She stood by him. "She has no idea who she's dealing with. Once she's gone, Riley will come around. He'll understand."

She turned toward a second table, "It's for the greater good. He'll see that. And if he doesn't... Well, first things first. Remove the complication and when she least expects it…"

She suddenly felt a cold sting through her body. She looked down to see a long sharp spear sticking through her chest. The last thing she did was look over her shoulder her voice paralyzed in shock and pain to see Adam.

Finally the last word she would ever utter came in a faded gasp, "Adam?"

As her body fell to the floor Adam looked as his arm retracting the skewer and then looked at the body lying at his feet, "Mommy."

* * *

Ever since coming back from the doctors with Xander, Niya had been moody. It was almost like she knew something bad was happening. 

She kept crawling around with Mr. Gordo in tow and followed Spike into every room he went. He walked into the bedroom and Niya was right behind him crawling quickly once he stopped she would start crying. He walked into the kitchen and it was the same thing. He changed her and fed her and still she would do the same thing. He didn't know what was going on in the hellmouth but for some reason he thought Niya knew more then anyone else there that something evil was awakening.

* * *

** Part 49**

The boy played with the small silver armored doll. His bike is beside him. His grandfather always told him not to go into the forest behind the park but he never listened, he wanted adventure and fun.

That's why when he saw the creature walking toward him he didn't run. He was fascinated.

"What am I?" The creature asked him.

"You're a monster." He answered honestly.

"I thought so. What are you?" Adam asked curious.

"Me? I'm a boy." 

"A boy. How do you work?"

"I don' know. I just do." The boy looked over the creature and then at the bone skewer pointing from his wrist. "What's that for?"

Adam smiled as he looked at the skewer, and then looked at the boy.

* * *

Buffy was reeling from the day's events. Being in search of a Polgara demon only to find out that this boy was killed by something Professor Walsh made. It sickened and angered the slayer. If she had listened to Willow and Giles, maybe she could have stopped this. She sighed in defeat she walked up the stairs of Spike's building. The door as usual was unlocked she walked into to see Niya crawling around with Mr. Gordo.

"Spike?"

"In here Slayer." He called out from the kitchen. Buffy picked up Niya and walked through the condo to the kitchen to see Spike washing dishes. She just looked at him strangely wondering what made him so different from Angel. 'Here is vampire with no soul taking care of a baby and actually doing it very well. Just weird.'

He turned around to find Buffy staring at him. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Had a rough day?" Spike clenched his jaw he knew that she completely forgot about Niya's appointment yesterday but he was going to wait to at least see what stopped the Slayer from forgetting her promise.

Buffy huffed, "That's an understatement if I ever heard one. The question is where I begin."

* * *

"It was such a set up. She was trying to kill me because I was getting too close. To finding out about her killer demon-cyborg."

"I can kill her you know." Spike said seriously.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "She's already dead her demon creation already killed her."

Spike was kind of shocked that Buffy didn't take more offense to him offering to kill another human being no matter how evil that person was. 

He rolled his eyes as she continued.

"The demon 'Kinematically redundant, biomechanical demoniod' named Adam. We think it's him that killed that little boy in the woods today. It was a really horrific scene Spike. I mean it's just weird to think that Professor Walsh created that thing for some purpose. Riley was acting sooooooooo weird. Especially after he found about Professor Walsh's death. He was ranting and raving…"

"Like I rabid dog I hope." Spike muttered underneath his breath.

"Huh?" Buffy didn't hear him clearly.

"Nevermind." Spike picked up Niya from her playpen and put her sitting up on the sofa.

"Well we, me and Xander that is, break into the compound to find out that Professor has been drugging all of the Initiative soldiers. And since her death freaked them all out they were off their schedule so the ones that didn't get immediate treatment like Riley were going all loopy. So anyway…"

Spike started to play with Niya.

"We are in the 314 room and I'm grilling Dr. Angleman and Riley bursts in accusing me of killing Maggie and doing something to him. Then Adam is there and starts talking a bunch of stuff, he wants to know what he is. Weird huh, so he stabs Dr. Angleman with his bone skewer and we start fighting. He was super strong picked me up and throws me across the room.

"A light wind can do that." Spike said never taking his eyes off of Niya.

"Haahaa very funny. So Riley tries to fight and he skewered Riley. I was so freaked. I mean he almost killed Riley. Then the commandos start pounding on the door and Adam takes off. I was by Riley's side and they pulled out guns on me and ordered me to leave. Saying they will; take care of him. God I hate Forest. I can't believe that Tasha goes out with that ass. I mean my boyfriend is there bleeding to death and he threatens to kill me because I want to get him to a hospital."

"Interesting." Spike said completely disinterested.

"I mean everything is so crazy and so messed up. I swear I should have never let them take Riley."

Spike continued to play with Niya ignoring Buffy's ranting.

"Are you listening to me?"

Buffy waited hearing Niya's giggles. 

"SPIKE!!" Buffy yelled both he and Niya stopped.

Then Niya's face turned red and she began to cry and scream at the top of her lungs.

"Bloody hell Slayer." Spike cringed as he held Niya.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly feeling bad for scaring Niya.

"Sorry? Oh please. Why don't you leave?"

"What?"

"Why--don't--you--leave?" He repeated slower, "I don't want to hear about that wanker anymore. You have been going on and on about the enormous hall monitor for an hour. Do you think I care? I don't! What I care about is right here. I care about my daughter and the fact that you were suppose to do something for me yesterday and I had to swallow whatever bit of pride I might have had left in my unlife and call the Whelp to take her. So if the bloody boy got skewered or shish kebabed I could bloody well care less. You need to deal with the psychotic lost boy that you are shagging not me and I am tired of hearing about it. If you have nothing else to talk about don't bother coming back. Now get out." Spike lifted up the crying baby into his arms.

Buffy looked at Spike stunned. She huffed as grabbed her coat and slammed the door behind her. Like clock work Niya began to cry.

* * *

Buffy stood on the other side of the door as soon as she heard Niya she wanted to run back in a hold her but when she heard the snap of the lock behind she slowly left the apartment complex.

* * *

** Part 50**

Spike looked at the clock for the 13th time in the last hour and huffed. The sun was finally setting. Niya was getting fidgety and so was he. Ever since his fight with Buffy he had been feeling restless and from the look on Niya's tiny face so was she.

"That's it pet. Let's go out for a walk." Spike smiled, "Maybe I'll show you how to kill a vamp or two. That way we can save your mu… the Slayer from any extra stakings. But knowing those government do-gooders they have already taken care of the problem."

Niya just looked at him and he continued to talk, "I wonder what your real mum would think of Buffy. I wonder about the prophecy. I am beginning to wonder about a lot of things like why I came back to Sunnydale. Why I felt compelled to bring you here? Why I brought you into her life. You were supposed to be all mine but now…."

Niya just kicked her legs and gurgled as he ranted on fastening her pink fuzzy jumper.

"Ok you're all done." Spike threw on his duster and headed out of the door.

* * *

"I totally don't know what happened to him. I mean he looked like he had been through a car wreck these last couple of days and he refuses to tell me what is really going on. We get word that Professor Walsh was in an accident and died and he totally gives me the brush off when I try and comfort him. And something is going with him and Riley. And he doesn't want to talk about it. So screw him. I am so just tired of him, Rachel." Tasha said carrying her French Vanilla tea back to her table at the Espresso Hut.

"He could at least have told you. Him and Riley and Graham they act so weird sometimes." Rachel stated as they sat with four other UC Sunnydale students. "I mean it was like a week ago Graham was so spaced out. It was weird. I mean they are just TA's they were acting like there mother had died or something. Not to be cruel it was shocking but they were so over-reacting." 

"I know. But…" The first thing that caught Tasha's eye was his striking blond hair and then her eyes slowly drifted down his sculpted body draped in all black to see his hands tightly gripping the handles of a stroller. "Oh-my-god!"

The other girls at the table turned to see what he was looking at. It was a guy that had "Bad-boy" written all over him come into the brightly lit and crowded café with a baby in a stroller.

"That is so hot." Rachel exclaimed before any of the other could say a word she made her way across the café and pretended to be looking for napkins to get the man's attention. "Wow precious." Rachel never even looked baby but eventually the baby got her attention kicking her in the knee, "Ouch. She's got a strong kick too."

Niya just smiled.

"Yeah she's a real warrior my little one." 

Rachel nearly melted when she heard his accent. The brunette smiled slightly, "That she is."

Spike scanned the crowded café and sighed, "Well pet, nowhere for us to sit so let's…" He began to tell Niya.

"Oh you can come and sit with us. There is plenty of room with us." She pointed over toward the table and full of college girls. Spike flashed them a smile and they all giggled haplessly as they encouraged him to come over.

"That would be great pet."

* * *

By the hours end, the girls knew everything about Spike especially that he wasn't married to the baby's mother and that she had died. After some 'Oh that's so sad, I'm sorry's and how awful's' all of the girls were right back to flirting.

* * *

Buffy slowly walked into the Espresso Hut tired and worn out. These last couple of weeks had really worn her out and she felt guilty about not calling Spike not to apologize but to see Niya. She heard a familiar laugh and turned to see Niya in Tasha's arms and Spike shamelessly flirting with another girl. 

"Don't get me wrong, but you so don't seem like the father type. I mean you have bad boy vibe about you." A red head gushed over him.

"Well I am a bad-boy can't you tell. I had to stop smoking, child proof a condo and I smell like baby powder. You don't live more on the edge then that." Spike joked, the girls giggled furiously as a figure approached their table.

"Spike?" Buffy asked in an almost disbelieving tone.

"Slayer!" His previously warm cheerful demeanor suddenly turned cold and the effect was not lost on the tables other occupants.

"What's up Buffy? What are you doing here?" Tasha interrupted the tense air that suddenly surrounded them.

"I was around doing stuff and …" 

Spike got up abruptly taking Niya out of Tasha's arms and fitted the jumper back on her and quickly tucked her in the stroller. "Well ladies it's been a blast but I must get sweet-pea here home."

"Spike don't." Buffy pleaded.

Niya smiled as she recognized Buffy and stretched out her arms to the slayer. Spike grumbled an obscenity and resigned to let Buffy hold his daughter. "Hi hunny, long time no see huh?" The baby gripped Buffy's finger in an attempt to put it her mouth, "No no Ni…"

"Yeah Niya," Spike pried the infant out of Buffy's arms, setting her back down in the stroller. "God only knows what Buffy has on her hands." Before Buffy could utter a word Spike pushed the stroller heading toward the door.

Tasha say the expression of hurt on Buffy's face as Spike wheeled away the stroller. 

* * *

As soon as her reached the shadows of the building she was there right behind him.

"We need to talk."

"No we don't." 

She stood in front of him blocking his path. "Yes we do. This isn't about you and me anymore Spike it's about Niya and what this…"

"No you want to tell me what's best for Niya? She's my child Buffy. I have raised her from birth, my face is the only one she sees everyday. I am there for the teething and the feedings. Not you. She mine Slayer, not yours. I don't care what any prophecy says. She is mine alone, my responsibility." Spike spewed it all out without taking a breath.

Buffy was stunned silent.

Spike huffed, "That's right! I've known about the prophecy for weeks now. And you want I know how I found out. By listening to you telling your mum that night I moved out. And between now and then you haven't bothered to tell it to me. And I bloody well know why. You think I would hurt her. You think I would use her to get at you. Well as you said a moment ago slayer. It's not about you and me anymore. I'm leaving Sunnydale by the end of the week." He brushed past the stunned slayer and proceeded on his way home.

** TBC…**


	11. Chapter 11 112403

**TAKEN BY SURPRISE******

****

**Author: **Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards 

**Note:  Parts of Part 54 was written by Hilary of Death Marked Love**

**Feedback:**Do vampires have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com

**Summary: **Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. The council is after Christine and her baby and Spike gets something he never thought he'd have a baby. 

**Warning:** **This a Spike and baby story just to warn all**. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship. 

**Things that must be known:** For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story. 

**Disclaimer:**I own none of BTVS characters they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Niya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus, Tasha and Rachel. 

**Distribution: **THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, The Sandlot, and Fanfiction.net. No other site has my permission to post this fic without my express permission. 

**Dedication: **To Hilary who forced me to continue this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. And thanks to the other Hunnies. To Miss Binks who helped me SO MUCH especially with chapter 5. To Raven & Jill my wonderful betas, thanks bunches. 

****

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**THINGS TO REMEMBER PLEASE READ!!!**

1. Remember that Harmony is chipped in my version of season 4 not Spike

2. That all of the episodes basically remain intact except for the changes that I write in the fic.

3. I will leave out parts of eppies because well I expect you to hopefully know them being BTVS fans so brush up on your season 4 knowledge pretty please. And also ever chapter would be like a two-hundred pages and no one wants to read all of that.

4. The episodes glanced at in this chapter are (descriptions taken from 2002 Yearbook)

** a. ** **This Year's Girl **– Faith awakens from her coma and sets about ruining the Slayer's life with the help of a gift from the Mayor which will allow her to switch bodies with Buffy.

** b. ** **Who Are You – **With Faith now in Buffy's body, Buffy as Faith is shipped back to England to face up to her past crimes.  As 'Buffy' gets to have a bit of fun for a while the real Buffy must escape and convince everyone who she really is.

5. **'Buffy'** means Faith in Buffy's body. 

6. **'Faith'** means Buffy in Faith's body.

7. I think that's it.  Good luck in reading LOL!

**Chapter 11**

**Part 51**

Spike opened the door slowly after the incessant knocking persisted for over a minute, "What do you want?"  He asked the redheaded witch standing at his door. 

"There's an emergency.  Faith's awake." Willow told the vampire with a sense of urgency in her voice.  She looked around the room and noticed the packed boxes but decided this was not the time to talk to Spike about what happened between him and Buffy.

"The other slayer?  Buffy told me about her.  She's probably long gone, pet.  At least if she was smart." Spike shrugged as he walked back into the living room with Willow in tow.

"Well smart and Faith don't really go together.  Faith attacked Buffy today near the quad at school. And she's still on the loose somewhere." Willow relayed, making Spike actually worry.  

_Why the hell am I worried_, he thought, "Has she gone over to Joyce's yet?"

"I dunno."

"Stay here with Niya.  I'll go to Joyce's."  He commanded as he grabbed his duster and headed out the door.

* * *

The witch was going stir crazy after a couple of hours of waiting for any word there still was none and then her cell phone rang. 

Willow grabbed it quickly, "Hello."

"Willow?  It's Giles; I need you here at my place."

"What's going on?"

"Just come.  Xander and Anya area already here and I've just gotten a hold of Buffy so hurry please."

"Ok but..."  Willow looked over at the sleeping baby, "Ok I'll be there."

* * * 

When Willow walked through the door, with the stroller Giles looked utterly shocked.

"Where's Spike?"

"He went to check up on Joyce and make sure Faith hasn't made an appearance there.  Why?"

"Hoping Vamp-boy left already without Niya?" Xander asked.

"One can only hope. Can't we?" Giles pursed his lips.

Willow just glared at two for a second before turning back to Niya. "Hey! He's Niya's father no matter what you think of him so get used to it."  Willow said sternly.

The baby woke up to see the group surrounding and lazily looked at Giles and stretched out her arms for him to pick her up.  Which Giles quickly obliged.

He lulled her to sleep humming hush little baby and she began to fall asleep on his chest again until the door opened.

'Buffy' looked at everyone confused, _who's that chick with Xander.  And since when does Giles have a kid._

* * *

"So she left a little while ago?"  Spike asked Joyce as she swept up the broken glass in the living room.

"Yup Buffy kicked her butt."  Joyce said proudly. "She said that she was going to tell Giles and then go to the Bronze."

"Ok then I will meet them there.  You sure you're ok here by yourself Joyce?"

"I am fine, that woman is gone and my daughter is safe and can get on with her life." Joyce smiled at Spike's concern, "So go and meet her." She shooed him toward the door

"Alright mum."  Spike gave her quick kiss on the cheek and dashed out the door.

"A hundred and 120 year old vampire calling me mum.  We do live on a hellmouth."  Joyce shook her head and she went to look for a dust pan. 

* * *

"We have just come from the residence and all seems fine here General Keats."  Forrest said over the radio.

"Did you get the full story on what happened at her house?"

"Apparently this girl is as strong as our **one and only Slayer."  He said sarcastically, "It seemed that…"  Forrest couldn't believe his eyes as the blond vampire that had so efficiently kicked his ass and nearly killed one of his unit five days ago walked down the street, "General Keats I will get back to you I see a hostile."**

"Ok Forrest I will send the rest of the Alpha 2 team out to assist."

Forrest looked at the other 5 members of his team in the hummer, they each smiled knowing that this hostile was not going to be bagged and tagged.

* * *

**Part 52**

"Well I see the Scooby gang's all here, Willow, Xander and . . ." Faith looked at Anya wondering who the hell this chick was as she sat on Giles' desk, "Everybody!  What's up?"

"Faith not surprisingly!" Giles replied setting a sleeping Niya down on the sofa.

"Didn't Joyce tell you?  I already kicked that ass."

"I feel a hi-five coming on." Xander announced, as Giles gave him a stern look as he walked into the kitchen.

"Where is she?" Willow asked thrilled.

"On her way to the big house.  Cops took her off my hands about an hour ago. Poetic justice!"

"How's that?" Anya asked.

"Well she did all those crimes and now she's being arrested."  'Buffy' looked around the room, "Well I guess that's just regular Justice.  Cool anyway."

"Did you see Spike?" Willow asked hoping that she had talked him out of leaving town.

Faith stepped back wondering why that name sounded familiar, "Ehmm nope."

"Enough about Spike, unless I'm mistaken, Faith is no longer in police custody." Giles walked out the kitchen into the living room.

"What are you talking about?" 

"The Watcher's Council - they sent a retrieval team to capture Faith."

"Well yeah, cause it worked so well when Wesley tried it."  'Buffy' replied sarcastically.

"This is a special operations unit. They handle the Council's trickier jobs, smuggling interrogation, wet works."

Willow looked at the other curious, "What's wet works?"

"Water scuba type stuff." Xander answered.

"I thought it was murder." Anya looked at Xander.

"Well yeah there could be underwater murder with snorkels and stuff." Xander pathetically tried to cover. 

"So they are taking her to England." Faith smiled at the prospect of Buffy trying to explain her innocence.  Faith's smile grew because finally she could be the self-righteous one now.

Anya moved toward the couch as Niya began to stir.

"It'll be a long time before she returns." Giles finished his voice sounding grim.

'Buffy's' laughter shocked the gang Faith immediately stopped, "I'm sorry. I'm just happy.  Faith is evil."

"Yeah I hope they throw the book at her."  Willow stated.

"I'm not sure there is a book for this." Giles replies solemnly.

"They can throw other things." Willow suggested.

"I forgot how much you don't like Faith." 'Buffy' looked at Willow.

"After what she's done to you . . ."

"Look who's awake?" Anya interrupted the two girl's discussion.  Anya picked up the groggy infant handed her to 'Buffy'.

'Buffy' looked at the child and held her awkwardly holding her at arms length as if the child was a contagious disease.  Niya looked deep into 'Buffy's' eyes and suddenly started crying and screaming.  Faith realized that the baby knew.

Niya's screams became louder as she began to kick in 'Buffy's' arms until she handed her back to Anya.

"What's wrong with her?"  Xander asked as he took Niya away from Anya and began to rock her slowly as her crying tapered off. 

Willow looked at 'Buffy' but brushed off the thought in her mind.

Faith soon realized that she'd better not stick around in Sunnydale to long.  _Whose kid is that anyway? Faith watched Xander carry the baby up the stairs._

Giles looked at 'Buffy' concerned, "I thought that you and Niya were quite used to each other, despite your bickering with Spike?"

'Buffy' looked over at him, "Uh yeah maybe she's sick or something."

Faith wanted to get out of that room as soon as possible.

* * * 

**Part 53 **

Spike stumbled into his apartment and was shocked but also happy that Willow wasn't there.  He quickly closed the door and flicked on the light found the note on the by the phone.

**_Went to Giles'._**

**_News about Faith._**

**_I took Niya._**

**_I'll try and meet you at Joyce's._**

****

**_Willow 408-846-4723._**

Spike set down the note with his blood soaked hand and sat his battered body down on the couch, and dialed the number.

"Hello, Niya and Willow's house of pancakes."

"Willow, it's Spike."

"Hi Spike you sound . . ."

"Terrible, I know listen, you mind taking Niya over to Joyce's or leave her at the watcher's or something."

"Uh sure I brought tons of stuff.  I over compensate."  Willow laughed.

"Good."

"Uhm did you see Joyce."

"Yeah.  Willow, I'll pick up Niya tomorrow."  Spike replied.

"Uh . . . . Spike."  Willow stopped as the phone clicked and the annoying buzz of the dial tone blared in her ears.

* * *

'Faith' burst threw the door, "Giles!"

"God!"  The watched jumped nearly a foot when he saw 'Faith'.

"Don't move.  Ok. Giles you have to listen to me very carefully.  I'm not Faith." 'Faith' said

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Cause the resemblance is striking."

"I know.  Giles you just have to . . . stop inching.  You were inching."

"Look I-I know what you are going to say an-an..."

"I'm Buffy." 

"All right I didn't know what you were going to say but that doesn't make you any less crazy."

"Faith switched.  She had some device.  She switched our bodies.  Giles I swear it's me."

Niya began to wake in his arms as she heard voices.

"Well ermm.  If you are Buffy then you'll let me tie you up, without killing me." Giles said nervously as he set down Niya in the stroller wondering what was 'Faith' going to do next, "Until we find out whether you are telling the truth."

"Giles! Faith has taken my body and for all I know she's taken it to Mexico by now.  I don't have time for bondage fun . . . .  Ask me a question?  Ask me anything?"

Niya gurgled getting the two's attention, but they quickly got back to the situation at hand.

"Who's the president?"

"We are checking for Buffy not a concussion."  Her voice edging on annoyance.

'Faith' looked at Niya and smiled.  She reached for Niya and Giles instinctually stepped in the way.

"Ohh. Yes. Right."

"Giles, you turned into a demon and I knew it was you. Can't you just look my eyes and be all intuitive?"

"How did I turn into a demon?"

"Ohh, cause uhhh Ethan Rayne.  And you have a girlfriend named Olivia and you haven't had a job since we blew up school... which is valid lifestyle wise.  I mean it's not like you're a slacker type. But. Ohh ohh when I had psychic power I like heard my mom think that you were like a stevedore during sex.  Would you like me to continue?"

"Actually I beg you to stop."

"What's a stevedore?"

Niya was still in 'Faith's' line of vision.

"Ma."  Niya said smiling, her ands outstretched toward 'Faith'.  Giles looked strangely as the baby began to kick up and down toward the rogue slayer, "Maa Maa!"

Buffy began smile as tears came to her eyes.  Giles looked even more confused until it dawned on him that Niya knew; that's the reason she was near hysterical last night in Buffy's arms because it wasn't Buffy.

 "You see it's me Giles it's really me."

"I need you to explain everything."

"And I will after we get Faith."

The door suddenly burst open.

"Giles!"

"Will."  'Faith' turned toward the door.

"Oh my god!" The redhead gasped.

"Willow wait.  You don't understand."

"You're Buffy.  You and Faith switched bodies, probably through a Draconian Katra spell..."

Buffy rushed toward and quickly picked up the little baby hugging her close, while she waited patiently as she got the instructions on how to get her body back.

Until the phone rang.

* * *

**Part 54**

"It was just so weird Giles.  She was so mad at me for everything." Buffy relayed as she packed up Niya's things. "We were fighting in the church and she started yelling at me that now she had everything she deserved, the boyfriend, the friends, the Watcher.  She was so angry.  Then she got me on the ground and started screaming at me 'You're nothing!  Disgusting!  Murderous bitch!  You're nothing! You're disgusting!' If I hadn't gotten a hold of her hand with that gem to break the spell she would have beat me unconscious."

"She has serious problems Buffy…"

"Well duh! Of course she does and she blames me for all of them."

"I think she rather envies you. You have things she can't…"

"That's the problem Giles, she can.  She could have at least.  But now I don't know.  After what she's done to me, I don't think I can forgive her." Buffy sighed wearily stuffing Niya's blanket in the bag and it was finally packed. 

"Did she do anything to you, to your body?"  Giles had a sense that Buffy wasn't telling him the whole story.

Buffy did not want to get into that conversation with her ex-Watcher, "Try calling Spike one more time please to see if he's at his apartment, before I go over there with Niya." 

Giles had been trying to contact Spike all day but had received no answer so when Buffy had got back from seeing Riley she had offered to take Niya home. 

Giles knew instantly that she was avoiding the subject but decided to let it go for now. "Fine."

* * *

The Slayer was still reeling from Riley's admission that he had had sex with Faith.  She tried to logic his answer in her mind, he thought it was her but Faith and her in no way act the same, especially when it came to sex.  Besides being Slayers they had nothing else in common, well except the same taste in men. 

Buffy huffed as she pushed Niya down the hallway.  She reached for the door and found it unlocked.  When she entered the apartment was in darkness save for a small lamp in the living room. Buffy noticed Spike lying face down on the couch, _he must be a heavy sleeper if he didn't even hear the phone ring when Giles had called just before I left. _

"Looks like Daddy is having a nap." She whispered to Niya. She then noticed that the baby was taking his example. Buffy took Niya out of her stroller and took her into Spike's room and put her in her crib next to Spike's bed and walked back into the living room. 

_Maybe I should stay until Spike woke up, if he hadn't heard the phone then the chances were he wouldn't hear Niya if she started to cry._   She decided to phone Willow and tell her she was staying at Spike's for a bit she walked over to the small table in the corner of the room. Her heart lurched; the phone was covered in blood. She glanced back at Spike and realised that something was seriously wrong. 

She turned back to the couch, knelt beside him and shook him. "Spike? Spike, wake up." 

When there was no response she used all her strength to turn him onto his back, as she did so his head lolled towards her. 

"Oh my god!" She gasped. His entire face was a mass of cuts and bruises, both of his eyes were puffed and swollen with dark purple bruises, dried blood was caked on forehead from a deep cut.  The vampire's clothes were shredded. His entire chest was soaked with blood, coming from what looked like a stab wound near his shoulder.  She could tell from the wound that someone or something had tried to stake him. 

Once she had recovered from the shock of seeing him like this she jumped to her feet, ran to the bathroom and picked up all the medical supplies she could find. Once Spike was better she was going to kill whoever had done this to him. 

Not wanting to jostle him too much Buffy used a small knife to cut Spike's shirt off him. Dumping the blood soaked clothes on the floor she began to clean his shoulder wound, once it was clean she pulled a thick wad of gauze out of the first aid kit and taped it over.  She then turned her attention to his face, wincing at the sight of his battered features. She cleaned and bound the cut and then went into the kitchen to get some ice for the swelling. She knelt back at his side and gently placed the ice pack over his eyes. 

"Come on Spike." Buffy whispered, tears building up in her eyes. "Please wake up." 

When there was no response she walked back into the kitchen and put a couple of bags of blood in the microwave. When they were warm she filled a mug and carried it to the living room. At that moment Spike groaned. 

"Spike? You're awake?" 

"I wish I wasn't." He replied weakly. "Is that you Buffy?" 

"Yeah." She replied. 

"I can't bloody see." He reached up slowly and felt the ice pack over his eyes. 

"You'd better leave that there." Buffy said. "You took quite a beating. Here, I've got some blood for you." 

She held the mug to his lips and he drank deeply. 

"Thanks pet." He said when he'd finished. 

"Spike, who did this to you?" Buffy asked. 

He sighed. "I was on my way to The Bronze after seeing your mum when I got jumped by those blokes from the Initiative. I guess they wanted to add me to their little demon collection. There were 6 of them, all on my at once. I couldn't get away. Luckily a Hakes Demon passed by at the wrong time and they left me and went after it. I think I'd have been dust otherwise."  Spike choked weakly.

Buffy sat there in stunned silence for a moment, "My God.  What did they do to you?"

"The question is what didn't they do?"  Spike mumbled.

Niya suddenly started crying in the next room and Buffy ran to get her.

"Daa-daa."  Niya called for Spike.

"Daa-daa is sleeping, Niya go back and sleep." Buffy whispered stroking Niya's hair.

Niya stood up and looked at Buffy almost like she could read her mind but the little girl lay back down in her crib Buffy pulled a small blanket over the drowsy baby and went back to tend to Spike.

She hadn't even reached the hallway when she had an overwhelming feeling of dread, _what if Spike had gotten captured?  What if they had killed him?  And Niya, he's all she's ever known, since the day that she was born.  I couldn't even begin to understand all that he does for her. She'd be crushed if he was gone.  I could never raise Niya by myself.  I wouldn't have a clue.  She needs him._

Buffy breathed in and out deeply and wiped the fear-provoking tears about to spill.  Finally she managed to compose herself a little. 

"Come on, let's get you to bed. You need to rest." She helped him to sit up and slipped an arm around his waist. Managing to get him to stand she let him lean on her as she led him to his bedroom. Pulling back the covers she managed to get him into bed and comfortable before pulling the covers back over him. 

"I'll get someone to come over and look after Niya." She said gently. "You just focus on getting well."

"Where are you going?" He asked sleepily. 

"There's something I have to do." She reached out and stroked his bruised cheek gently. "Sleep now, I'll be back soon." Spike nodded and soon drifted off. When Buffy was sure he was asleep she kissed him gently on the cheek and called Willow. 

The second person she called was Riley.

* * *

**Part 55**

Riley heard a soft knock on his door; he answered it promptly to see Buffy standing there.  Even though she had said that what happened with him and his Faith was not his fault he knew a part of her wanted ask him how could he be so stupid?  How could he not see the signs that she was different?  He swallowed hard as she entered the room.

"You said it was important?" Riley asked praying that she was not there to do what he had been dreading.

"I needed to talk to you."  Buffy swallowed hard as she looked into Riley's eyes.

"Yes?" He lowered his head knowing the next words to come out of her mouth would most likely destroy him.  The only woman that he'd ever loved was about to break his heart.

"I can't see you anymore Riley."  Buffy got straight to the point.

Riley sucked in a deep breath, "Buffy you can't blame . . ."

"No it's not about Faith."  Buffy couldn't believe the words that rolled off of her tongue, "Well . . . a lot of it has nothing to do with Faith."

"Really?" He questioned biting his lip to keep back the tears. "Then it must be something else or someone else."

Buffy looked up at Riley.  She cared for him but Niya she loved and Spike, well he was, she didn't know what her relationship with Spike was.  It was never easy and even harder to explain.  It developed from downright disgust into a budding friendship and if she let herself get caught up in the whole prophecy thing it would be more.  But for now all Buffy knew was that when she looked at Riley now all she could see was the man that betrayed her and the man that worked for the organization that had nearly killed Spike and nearly left Niya without a father.

"Riley, I'm sorry." Buffy turned to leave when she felt his hand grasp her arm.  She spun round to see Riley's sea blue eyes staring at her looking for one last glimmer of hope in her eyes.  Buffy definitely didn't relish in the look of despair on his face.  The next thing she knew his head dipped down to hers and he kissed her passionately.  Buffy had never felt so guilty.  Letting him have one last kiss, she knew she felt nothing more for him, and that kiss alone proved it.  She broke away not once looking back at him as she left.

* * *

**TBC…**


End file.
